An Evil Plan Gone Horribly Wrong
by Sephira jo
Summary: (COMPLETE) Kaoru’s tired of being ignored by Kenshin. Sano’s tired of being ignored by Megumi. Together Sano and Kaoru hatch an evil, evil plan to get the attention of their romantic interests.
1. Chapter One

Title: An Evil Plan Gone Horribly Wrong

Author: Sephira jo (contact at: )

Archive: With permission only

Part: 1/??

Series: Rurouni Kenshin

Rating: R (For loads of innuendo and adult situations/language)

Genre: Romantic Comedy/Drama

Pairings: Kenshin/Kaoru, Sano/Megumi

Disclaimer: I don't own Kenshin! *sob sob*

Summary: Kaoru's tired of being ignored by Kenshin. Sano's tired of being ignored by Megumi. Together Sano and Kaoru hatch an evil, evil plan to get the attention of their romantic interests. But what happens when the plan goes awry leaving a very jealous and confused Kenshin and Megumi ecstatic?

Author's notes: Hey all! My first Kenshin fic. :D I hope you all like it, but a few notes first. Since honorifics don't really translate, I'll be using the standard Kaoru-dono, Megumi-san, Yahiko-chan and Jou-chan. However, even though I know that de gozaru and de gozaru ka don't translate I'll be using the wonderful, oft hated, "that it is." Which comes as close as anything can in English to matching Kenshin's speech patterns. I will keep him saying 'oro' but again I've replaced sessha with 'this unworthy one,' it's literal English translation. Thanks!! And I hope you enjoy the fic!!

* * *

As she often did, Kaoru watched Kenshin work on the laundry, a wistful look on her young face. As much as she loved him, the man had to be the densest person in all of Japan. He had lived here, at the dojo with her for how long? And he still didn't know how she felt about him. Kaoru flinched, half of that was her fault. She just couldn't work up the courage to say anything to him. Every time she tried, she either froze or Yahiko or Sano would come out of nowhere demanding food and thereby ruining the moment completely.

Kaoru sighed, she wasn't seductive and cunning like Megumi. In fact she almost felt stupid when she tried to 'play the woman.' She wasn't straight forward or tactless like Sano, nor was she sweet and a good cook like her friend Tae. But nothing she did seemed to work as far as getting Kenshin to notice her. Kaoru gritted her teeth, her temper on the rise. Kenshin could be such an idiot sometimes.

"Hey ugly!!" A high-pitched voice called out behind her, "What are you standing there staring at?"

Kaoru's face flushed red with anger and she whipped around to face the arrogant little bastard that spoke. "Yahiko-chan," she said in a deceptively soft voice, deliberately adding the chan he hated so much to his name, "Why are you always saying stuff like that!!" She finished, picking her shinai up from its resting place next to her to give Yahiko a well-deserved beating to vent some of her anger.

She took a hard swing at him, to find that he had moved just out of reach sticking his tongue out at her childishly, "Don't call me YAHIKO-CHAN, Tanuki!" He shouted.

"Really!" Kaoru exclaimed, and forgetting about watching Kenshin, forgetting some of her misery chased after Yahiko, screaming half-meant insults at the young boy, who seemed to enjoy the game every bit as much as she.

* * *

Sano downed another small dish of sake, absolutely miserable. Nothing, nothing he did at all seemed to get that stuck-up Megumi to notice him. Glowering Sano downed another shot of the liquor. Most women were flattered to be the object of his affections. But no, not fox woman. All she seemed to be good for was healing wounds and annoying Jou-chan by pursuing Kenshin.

He downed yet another shot and pounded his fist against the table causing the tavern's few sober patrons to jump, shocked. He had even tried letting people get close enough in fights to hurt him, giving him an excuse to hobble to that damned clinic to see that fox woman, and she _still _didn't get it.

Sano grabbed the sake bottle and scowled when only a drop went into the cup. Great. He was out. He had spent the last of his money too. He tried to think through a lightly intoxicated haze, didn't he keep a jug or ten hidden at Jou-chan's? And on the upside, going to the dojo promised some free food.

Standing to his feet he managed a small amount of balance before walking out of the tavern and toward the Kamiya dojo. Even if he couldn't find his booze, at the very least he'd get some free food. And at least Kenshin's cooking was edible, unlike his or Jou-chan's.

The whole way there he pondered his unique . . . well okay, not _really_ unique problem. After all, Jou-chan was suffering something similar, wasn't she? After all, that girl had been trying nonstop to get Kenshin's attention. That was another thing that made going to the dojo amusing, Kenshin's seemingly eternal oblivious state to the younger woman's amazingly huge crush on him.

Sanosuke snickered to himself as he walked through the dojo's front gates, the all to common sounds of fighting and chaos muffled to his pleasantly drunken ears. He heard Jou-chan screaming at Yahiko at the top of her lungs, what had that little brat done this time? Yahiko was running in Sano's general direction laughing loudly.

Distantly Sano heard Kaoru skid to a stop and shout, "Sano, look out!"

Sano looked up, his reaction slowed by a days worth of drinking and feeling sorry for himself. He glanced up just in time to see the bucket before it hit square in the face, sending him on a one way trip to the ground and unconsciousness.

* * *

"Stupid, stupid, stupid!" Kaoru muttered more to herself then the out-cold Sano laying on the ground. She came to a complete stop right above him. Looking down, she tried to assess his condition: mouth open in shock, eyes spinning, and one large, pulsing bruise on the head complements of one Kamiya Kaoru. Yep, he was definitely out cold.

Yahiko also skidded to a stop next to the knocked-out Sano, "Geeze, Ugly, your aim's just as bad as your temper!"

Kaoru shot a cold glare at Yahiko, she cared for the brat, she really did, but sometimes his teasing was uncalled for, "How can you say that right now! I think I hit him too hard; Sano needs a doctor! Why don't you make yourself useful for _once _and go get Megumi-san or _something._"

"Nah," Yahiko said nonchalantly, stretching his arms over his back, "He's been hit on the head enough times by now that one more isn't gonna make change anything." He paused then laughed shortly, "Besides, that _was_ pretty funny."

"You wouldn't be saying that if I _had _hit you," Kaoru said shortly, trying to pick up the dead weight of the former mercenary to take him inside, "Could you at least help me here?" She finished getting no response. She looked up to find Yahiko gone, she heard his voice a moment later, happily shouting.

"Hey Kenshin!! You got to come see this, Kaoru hit Sano on the head with a flying bucket! It's hilarious!"

Kaoru registered a distant shocked 'oro' and sighed. One day, she would strangle that brat. Thankful that she was dressed in her practice clothes instead of a more formal kimono, she dragged the heavy Sano inside the dojo the best she could, thinking that he smelled a little bit more like sake than usual. Oh well, his being drunk (again) would explain why it was so easy for him to get hit by the bucket that had been meant for her loud mouthed student, Yahiko.

* * *

Sano opened his eyes slowly, the world around him not quite clear, it was still an image fuzzy around the edges. He blinked once. Twice. A face leaned overly close to his, dark hair and curious blue eyes stared at him intently, waiting for him to do something.

"Whaaa!!" He shouted pushing the body the face was attached to away.

Kaoru fell backwards hitting the floor with a thump and a gasp as the blow knocked the air right out of the young woman. Sanosuke just stared down at her, unsure of how she had come to be wherever it was that _he _was until he remembered that he had been heading toward the dojo. In fact, he had just been walking through the gates when . . . when . . . what _had _happened next?

"Really, Sano, is that how you say thank you?" Kaoru said, as she sat up again, shaking herself free from the blow, "I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

Sano flopped back down on the futon, his head throbbing for some reason other than liquor, "What happened?" He asked, half afraid of the answer. In this dojo it could have been anything.

Kaoru blushed, embarrassed and looked down at her hands as she answered, "You, uh, tripped and hit your head which kind of knocked you out . . . " She trailed off, still bright red.

Sano shot Kaoru a half believing look, "I tripped?" He asked, it was obvious that Jou-chan was lying, the girl was awful at it.

Kaoru nodded silently, then stood up quickly trying to change the subject, "Kenshin's has started making dinner, you're welcome to join us, if you want to." She added, it was obvious she was using the 'free food' tactic to get him to let the matter drop. Sano sat up, and sighed. Well at least it was Kenshin cooking and not Kaoru. He wouldn't eat one of Jou-chan's home cooked meals for all the sake in Tokyo.

There was a snickering sound form the screen door and Sano looked over to see Yahiko standing there, trying very hard NOT to laugh, "Tanuki's embarrassed 'cause she beaned you with a bucket that she threw at me," Yahiko shrugged a look of extreme amusement on his face, "It's funny, really, her aim's worse than her temper."

Sano glanced back at Kaoru, who appeared to be shaking with rage. The hot tempered young kenjitsu teacher pointed a finger at Yahiko and shouted, "You didn't have to TELL HIM THAT!!"

"Why not UGLY, it's the truth. And it was pretty funny. Especially how you got him right in the face," Yahiko said, laughing, demonstrating what had happened by waving his hands in front of his face, like he was going to slap himself.

"In the FACE?!" Sano said shocked, no _wonder_ he had a headache. Or on second thought, it was a wonder it hadn't killed him. One day Jou-chan would go too far. _In the face . . . damn!!_

Kaoru ran at the young boy, who was able to dodge her easily. Sano wondered how much of their banter and fighting was just play. He wouldn't be surprised if all of it was faked, he mused that they were more like siblings then a teacher and student.

No one answered his 'in the face' and Kaoru ran after the little brat, chasing him in the general direction of the kitchen.

Sano shook his head and flopped back on the futon, his head still pounding from the mornings events combined with his drinking binges. He sighed, closed eyes and waited for dinner.

* * *

Kaoru chased Yahiko down the hall and around a corner, only to find him completely gone when she rounded the bend. Kaoru sighed, how did he do that? He always managed to slip away somehow when they were fighting. Most likely he went to visit Tsubame-chan at the Akabeko.

"Kaoru-dono?" Kaoru turned around to see Kenshin's head sticking out of the door to the small kitchen.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru said happily for no real reason, even the sight of his face lightening her mood. Smiling she moved closer to the entrance to the small kitchen, "Can I keep you company, at least until dinner is done?" She asked, almost holding her breath. She loved spending time with Kenshin in any way shape or form, even if it was in the kitchen. In a way though, it was fun to just watch him cook. She treasured every minute with him.

Kenshin gave her a blank look and blinked a couple times before giving one of his rurouni-style grins and nodding, "Yes, Kaoru-dono."

Kaoru grinned to herself as Kenshin walked back into the kitchen, _Yay! _She thought, _another chance!!_ Smiling she walked into the kitchen after her wandering Kenshin.

The making of dinner was obviously already well underway when Kaoru entered the small room. Pieces of chopped vegetables lined cutting boards along with small pieces of tofu mixed in with the pungent aroma of freshly cut fish. Kaoru loved the smells of cooking, especially cooking done by Kenshin, left to her, what promised to be a tasty meal would be nothing more than burnt ash or cold soup with uncooked components.

Kaoru was brought out of her gentle reprieve by the sound of Kenshin's voice, "Yahiko told me that you attacked Sano with a bucket today, that he did."

Kaoru winced, reaching for a small piece of carrot on the counter, "He told you that? I think I hit him too hard in the head. I'm kind of worried about him."

Kenshin snickered lightly then said, "Sano's been hit in the head many times before, that he has. One more time won't make much difference, that it won't."

Kaoru bit back a laugh that would've made her choke on the small piece of carrot in her mouth, "That's mean." She giggled, "But Yahiko said the exact same thing."

"Did he?" Kenshin smiled, his attention more on the cooking then on Kaoru, who snuck another small carrot, popping it into her mouth. She smiled and made an affirmative noise, chuckling the whole time.

"Yeah," Kaoru said around a mouth full of stolen snack. She smiled and looked at Kenshin, who was glancing at her out of the corner of his violet eyes.

"You shouldn't snack too much, Kaoru-dono, you'll ruin your appetite, that you will."

Kaoru looked up at Kenshin who looked back at her, his expression gentle and friendly, his eyes a soft violet. _Tell him, Stupid!_ Kaoru thought to herself, how could she _not _seize this opportunity?

Kaoru looked him right in the eyes and held his gaze with her own. She took a deep breath to calm her pounding heart, "Kenshin . . . "

He smiled softly, "Yes, Karou-dono?"

"I. . ."

He still smiled.

"I. . ." _Tellhimtellhimtellhim!!! _Kaoru screamed at herself, her heart beating faster then any one of Kenshin's Hiten Mitsurugi techniques.

Kenshin still had that clueless grin on his face.

"I. . ." _loveyouloveyouloveyouloveyou_. Why couldn't she just say it! What made it so hard just to spit it out?

Kaoru closed her eyes; she could feel her cheeks flushing. Bitting her cheeks, she opened her mouth to say it one more time. "I. . ." The door to the kitchen slid open with a bang. Sano stood there, just staring in at the two of them. Kaoru stared back, her look black with anger. She had almost said it, for crying out loud! Interrupted again!

"Hey Kenshin, Dinner ready yet?"

Kenshin simply smiled, apparently oblivious to the waves of anger and frustration that rolled off the young woman like a thunder cloud, "Dinner is almost ready, that it is. How's your head feeling, Sano?"

Sano lifted a hand to his head, a little too dramatically for Kaoru's taste, "It still hurts like hell, but I think I'll live." He winked at Kaoru, which just made her fume more, "I might get better faster if Jou-chan there would apologize." He finished, smirking.

Kaoru couldn't take it anymore. Snapping she yelled, "Why should I apologize!? You're the one who walked right into it!! Maybe _you_ should learn to _look_ where your going when you walk instead of walking around in a drunken haze!" Kaoru stormed out of the kitchen, the sound of Sano's laughter grating on her nerves. To his credit she didn't hear Kenshin laugh.

For Kaoru, dinner was a tense affair. She went between glancing shyly at Kenshin, who hardly ever returned her looks to glaring at Yahiko, who had some how magically appeared just in time to be fed, to giving Sano the blackest looks she had ever shot anyone. Ever.

Kaoru couldn't even focus on the conversation, what little of it there was. Occasionally one of the other three would glance at her, expecting an answer to this question or a reaction to that comment and she would just mumble. It seemed at least her misery was contagious as Sano seemed under a black cloud as well. _Well,_ Kaoru thought, _serves him right. That jerk . . . _ As always, Kenshin's mood was undefinable. The only person who ever knew what Kenshin was thinking was Kenshin, and Kaoru doubted that was the case sometimes. And Yahiko was just loud and annoying . . . as always.

Afterward Kenshin cleaned the dishes and then went to fold clothing. Kaoru would've helped, but it seemed Kenshin had learned rather quickly that having Kaoru attempt to help with household chores often ended badly. Kaoru sighed, Yahiko had disappeared again, leaving his share of the cleaning undone. Kaoru picked up the rag and bucket and chucked the rag at Sano, who sat just staring off at nothing.

"Hey, what are you doing?" He asked, miffed, pulling the rag off his face, staring at Kaoru.

Kaoru didn't answer. Instead, she threw the bucket at Sano, who, this time, managed to dodge it.

"What the hell!?" He exclaimed, eyes wide like she had been attempting to murder him.

"Food _isn't_ free you know! The least you could do is help us around the dojo!" Kaoru snapped.

"Isn't this Yahiko's job?"

"He's not here, so you do it."

Sano glared, "Why can't _you_ do it, Jou-chan?"

"Because," Kaoru stated, "I shouldn't have to." The last was spoken with a logic that made sense. At least to Kaoru. After all, with three free loaders, the least any of them could do was _some_ cleaning. Kenshin always did way more than his share. Yahiko would do some, take off, do a little more, then pick a fight with her. Sano hardly ever lifted a finger that wasn't somehow attached to food or sake.

Kaoru left a shocked Sano there and went to her room. After slamming the door closed she flopped down on the futon. _Kenshin . . . _ All she really wanted was to let him know how she felt about him. Not even that seemed to go right. Kaoru heaved a deep, long-suffering sigh. Why did everything have to be so hard?

Kaoru jumped up when she heard a tap on her bedroom's door. She walked to the door and slide it open, hopping it was Kenshin. She put on her best smile and looked up. Her grin fell instantly. Sano stood in the door.

"Can I come in?" He asked nonchalantly, as if it was a question he posed to girls every day.

"What?!?" Kaoru nearly shrieked.

"God Jou-chan, quiet down! It's not what you think, I think I hid one in here."

"Hid what?" Now Kaoru was just confused.

Sano pushed her aside and walked right on in, leaving Kaoru with her jaw hanging open staring at him as he looked through the things scattered about her room.

"Hid what?!" Kaoru demanded, regaining enough composure to walk up right next to him. This was her room after all.

Sano made a triumphant noise and held up a drinking gourd, "This. I _knew_ I hid one in here."

Kaoru was shocked, stunned beyond anything she had ever been before. He had hidden a SAKE gourd in HER BEDROOM!!

"That's sake! You hid a gourd full of sake in _my_ bedroom?!"

Sano gave her a confused look, like it shouldn't have mattered that he had been sneaking around her dojo hiding sake in strange places, "What? Would you rather I had put it in Yahiko's room? Or in Kenshin's? At least in here I knew it wouldn't be drunk."

Kaoru pushed him angrily, "That's not the point!!! You were in my room, hiding liquor!!!!!"

Blank stare, "Yeah, so?"

Kaoru bit back a scream of rage at Sano's total and complete idiocy, "How many of those things to you have hidden around here?" She asked, trying very hard to keep her voice even.

Sano stared upwards, trying very hard to think, "Uhh, I dunno. Ten I think . . . hell, it could be more."

Kaoru was shaking with rage. This compounded with the days events made her want to pick up her shinai and beat the living daylights out of Sagara Sanosuke, "How many of them are in here?" She asked, speaking each word slowly through clenched teeth.

"Five, I think."

"So, there are four more full gourds of sake hidden somewhere in my bedroom?!"

"Sounds 'bout right." Sano said, popping the quark out of the one in his hand, taking a big swig, "Damn, that's good stuff."

"So, where was I when you decided to hide sake in _my_ bedroom?"

"I dunno." Sano took another swig then looked at Kaoru, the drunken haze already returning to his eyes, "I'm surprised you haven't stolen any. I mean you see yours _everyday_."

"My _what?_" Kaoru asked, every bit as confused as she was angry. Sano made no sense when he was sober, and even less sense when drunk.

"You know, your stupid red-haired crush person," Another swig, "It has to be worse on you, 'cause you see him everyday."

"How do YOU know what I think about Kenshin!?" Kaoru shrieked, absolutely mortified. It figured that the one person to figure out how she felt about Kenshin wasn't her rurouni.

Sano snorted, "Oh please. You'd have to be blind _not_ to notice!" Sano made girly gestures with his arms in a bad attempt to imitate Kaoru, "Oh look at me! I'm Kamiya Kaoru and I'm totally in love with a guy too stupid to notice it!"

Kaoru tried to punch the drunk mercenary, who dodged it easily, "Oh like you have it any better, who's yours?" Kaoru spat out, half-wanting to know, simply because it never occurred to her that Sano loved anything other than fighting and sake.

"Why should I tell you?" Sano said, his tone very much like that of a little brat.

"You know mine! Besides, the least you could do for hiding five things of sake in MY room is tell me yours!" Kaoru returned.

Sano glared at the floor and muttered something that sounded like a name, but said it so fast that Kaoru couldn't make it out.

"What?"

He muttered something again, and this time Kaoru thought she could catch the last syllable of 'mi'.

"I can't understand you."

"THAT DAMNED FOX WOMAN!!!"

Oh. Megumi, huh? Kaoru thought about it a minute, then, unable to help herself she burst out laughing.

"What's so damned funny?!" Sano shouted as Kaoru collapsed to the floor in fits of laughter.

"You . . . and Megumi-san," Kaoru gasped out between fits of laughing. Right now she didn't feel the slightest bit of pity for Sano. She did feel a little sorry for Megumi-san however, "Poor Megumi-san."

"Poor Megumi?!" Sano shouted, taking another swig, "What about poor Kenshin? I'd feel sorry for anyone with a woman like _you_ after them!"

Kaoru stopped laughing. Lashing out, she kicked Sano in the shins, bringing him down to the floor next to her, "What is THAT supposed to mean! At least you can get Megumi to pay attention to you! You're always over at that clinic!!"

Sano swore, "Yeah sure, she pays attention to me. After I get the shit beat out of me, she dresses my wounds and tells me not to be so fucking stupid! That's a lot better then with you and Kenshin!"

Kaoru stared. All of a sudden it wasn't 'poor Megumi-san' anymore, "Poor Sano . . . " She thought aloud. Sano looked up at her, his face flushed from sake and shouting, his expression confused.

"When did it become 'poor Sano'?" He asked.

"Oh please. Can't I feel sorry for someone in the same situation as me? Even if it is _you_," Kaoru said, shaking her head, then she sighed, "I think I'd do just about anything to get Kenshin to pay attention to me. At least you have a way to get Megumi to touch you. Even if it is only dressing wounds then calling you an idiot."

Sano regarded Kaoru with a sympathetic expression. Kaoru looked at him confused, then Sano stretched out his arm, offering her the sake. Sighing she took the gourd and took a swig of the liquor inside. It warmed her almost instantly, fuzzing her thoughts in a not altogether unpleasant way. She handed it back to Sano, who took another swig then repeated the processes. They drank, the two of them emoting about their various problems with their significant others.

One jug disappeared, then he found the second, then the third and fourth. The sake seemed to do something to Kaoru allowing her to open up. Indeed she had never been this open or honest with anyone, not even when her father had been alive. Kaoru squinted at Sano, for some reason her vision was all fuzzy and she felt strange.

"You know," Kaoru started, "You're really UGLY, Sano." She said, not even aware that she was speaking out loud, "But at least you've got other girls who want to be with you . . . you could try making Megumi jealous or something," Kaoru paused and hiccuped, then giggled.

"Sometimes," She started, "I wish I could do something like that with Kenshin. Hang all over some other guy until Kenshin got really jealous or something. But I couldn't hurt someone else like that," Kaoru jumped when Sano clapped his hands together loudly.

"That's it!!" Sano exclaimed loudly, scaring Kaoru half to death.

"What's it?" She asked, her words slurred.

"You could hang all over me to make Kenshin jealous!"

Kaoru squinted at Sano, grabbing the sake from him and taking another swig, "Why would I want to do a thing like that?"

Sano rolled his eyes and snorted, violently taking the jug away from Kaoru, "Because once Kenshin's jealous he'll be all over you. And Megumi will be all over me when she's jealous. And it's not like I find you attractive or anything, your face is always red from screaming at people and you throw stuff at me. All the time."

Kaoru tried to jump up, only to fall backwards on her futon, giggling insanely, in that moment she could have kissed Sano, but her body didn't seem to want to do anything she told it to, "Sano, do you think it will work?"

"It will! Kenshin will be all over you in no time, and Megumi will be all over me once she finds out what's she missing. Especially if she thinks I like _you_," He snorted out the last word to show what he thought of the idea of him liking Kaoru.

Kaoru giggled some more and Sano mused her hair in a big brotherly type gesture. Her mind was full of images of her and Kenshin together, the plan a perfect success. She felt light headed and giddy and the colors in the room began to spin. Kaoru tried to sit up once more only to fall backwards, passed out cold from a mixture of exhaustion and liquor.

* * *

Sano looked down at Kaoru and laughed lightly. The young girl had obviously never drank before, she had already passed out. He took a big swig from the jug, finishing off the last of the sake, congratulating himself on his awesome plan for snagging Megumi for himself and trapping Kenshin for Jou-chan.

Sano tried to get up to walk away, but he must have drunk more than he thought, because his legs weren't moving right and trying to stand made his stomach lurch. He needed somewhere to sleep it off. He tried to think through a drunken haze when an idea came to him. He and jou-chan were going to pretend to be interested in each other, right? Then it shouldn't matter if he spent a night in her room. It wasn't like he wanted to sleep with her or anything. After all, it was _Jou-chan_.

Sano flopped down on the futon next to the passed out Kaoru after he took steps to make things look more realistic and smiled to himself, certain that their plan was foolproof. Sleep overcame him quickly and dreams of Megumi throwing herself all over him danced through his head.

* * *

Kaoru's first welcome back to the world of the living came in the form of a pounding headache unlike anything she had ever felt before. She groaned. What the hell had she done last night to make her feel like she had been practicing for a year straight? Her body letting out a moan of protest she rolled over on her futon, only to bump into something hard and warm.

Kaoru's eyes shot open and she found herself staring at a bare chest. A bare chest that wasn't Kenshin's. She looked up, half afraid to see the face attached to the body. When she saw who it was, she screamed.


	2. Chapter Two

Title: An Evil Plan Gone Horribly Wrong

Author: Sephira jo (contact at: sephirajo@yahoo.com)

Archive: With permission only

Part: 2/??

Series: Rurouni Kenshin

Rating: R (For loads of innuendo and adult situations/language) But, once again, later chapters may hit NC17 based on my mood. (Note to FF.net users: If that happens I'll have edited versions of those chapters to post here.)

Genre: Romantic Comedy/Drama

Pairings: Kenshin/Kaoru, Sano/Megumi

Disclaimer: I don't own Kenshin! *sob sob*

  


Author's Note: Well, I guess Diana owns this fic now . . . she's attached herself to my computer and won't let go! *whips out the beating stick on Diana* So, there's only one thing I can do!! Fight her off with the beating stick while trying to write this fic. Hehehe. Obsessive fans can be so much fun for stress relief. Sorry Di-chan. *THWACK* At least your glomping Battousai, so I can write my fic. ^-^ Now, on to the ficcie goodness.

  


* * ^-^ * * 

  


Sanosuke. Kaoru was staring at the bare chest of Sanosuke. She screamed again. How the _hell_ had she ended up in bed with Sano! Sano grumbled and woke up just as the shouji door to her room flew open with a bang.

  


"Kaoru-dono! What happened . . . " Kenshin's voice reached her ears and cut off at what must have been an absolutely ludicrous sight.

  


"Ken-mph!" Kaoru started, only to have her mouth covered by Sano's large hand.

  


"Sano, what's going on here!?" Kenshin's voice came out shocked and confused and Kaoru wanted nothing more than to run into his arms, far, far away from the ex-gangster.

  


"Exactly what it looks like," Sano said, trying not to flinch as Kaoru bit down on his hand, "But you had to go and interrupt us." He pulled Kaoru close against his chest ignoring her obvious struggling as she wiggled against him, incredulous.

  


Kenshin's face went stark white in an instant. The same instant Kaoru realized she wasn't in her sleeping robe. In fact, she wasn't really wearing much of anything. She screamed again, the sound coming out muffled and distorted behind Sano's hand.

  


"But . . . but the screaming . . . " Kenshin stuttered.

  


"Yeah, who would've guessed that she'd be a screamer," Sano snuggled closer and Kaoru felt like she was going to vomit, "I guess _you_ never got to find out, huh?"

  


Sanosuke moved in close and gave Kaoru a quick peck on the cheek, and she could tell that he was, if possible, even more tense than she. _What the hell? What the hell is going on here!?_ Kaoru thought to herself, trying to call out Kenshin, who, pale and shaking, backed slowly out of the room. His eyes seemed to take on an amber tinge, but that may just have been a trick of the light.

  


After the shouji door slid closed, Sano let go of Kaoru, who flopped back down on the futon stunned. Her head pounding, she tried to figure out what had just happened here. And more importantly, what had occurred for her to wake up mostly naked with a man she would've strangled before she would even consider kissing.

  


"Well, Jou-chan, you almost blew that one big," Sano said, and Kaoru looked up trying to focus her split vision on his face. She was more confused than she had ever been in her entire life.

  


"Blew _what_ big?" She asked, dumbfounded. She needed to know what the hell was going on here.

  


"Don't you remember? Our plan!! You almost ruined it completely!" 

  


"WHAT PLAN!?" Kaoru screeched, her voice coming out harsher than usual as she shot into a sitting position. She remembered bits and pieces of a conversation with the man next to her, but nothing else.

  


"Oh . . . " Sano said, as if understanding had all of a sudden hit him, "You're _that_ type of drunk."

  


Kaoru pressed her eyes closed, her fingers rubbing against her temples in a vain attempt to alleviate the pain, "I drank?" She asked, half to herself, last night was a multitude of images and impressions strung together and pulled through her mind like an out-of-control children's toy.

  


Sano snorted, "Hell, Jou-chan, you almost drank more than I did!" He stated, his voice normal and Kaoru found herself wondering how he managed to down alcohol like he did and wake up in the morning and do it again. 

  


Kaoru groaned, not wanting to think about it anymore, and cupped her head in her hands, "What plan," She asked again, her voice more subdued than before.

  


Sano sat back, his stance relaxed. It was only then Kaoru noticed that he too, was mostly naked. She fought down another urge to vomit. _Dear gods, _she thought, _please, please let there be nothing bad that happened last night_.

  


"Our plan to get you Kenshin and me Megumi," He paused, looking at Kaoru for any sign of recognition who just stared at him blankly. Sano shook his head and continued, "That we'd pretend we'd like each other to get them to like us," another pause, another blank stare. Sano gave Kaoru one of the strangest looks she had ever gotten from him.

  


"You really don't remember any of this, do you Jou-chan," it was a statement, not a question.

  


Kaoru shook her head, "I don't see how you can either, if you drank more than I did."

  


Sano shot her another odd look, one that told her he thought she obviously had no idea what she was talking about, "I just do," He said, "I hardly ever forget anything, even when I'm drunk."

  


"So," Kaoru started, not quite believing what she was saying, "You. And I. Somehow decided to pretend that we _liked_ each other for me to get Kenshin and you to end up with Megumi? And tell me Sano . . . how the _HELL_ is this supposed to work?"

  


"Well, Kenshin will get jealous and hang all over you and then Megumi . . . " his voice trailed off and he flinched, "You know, this plan made a lot more sense when we were drunk . . . "

  


Kaoru stared at Sano dryly and asked, "So how did I end up mostly naked?"

  


Sano flinched again, "Well, after you passed out, I was thinking it might look more convincing if we were kinda, I don't know, not dressed as much." He finished lamely.

  


Kaoru was shaking. She was angry in general and more than a little pissed at Sanosuke. Needing to vent her rage before moving on to other topics, like how they were going to fix this, Kaoru balled her hand into a fist, and acting on instinct, punched Sano in the face. Hard.

  


The ex-gangster fell backwards, hitting the floor with a hollow thud and Kaoru shook her fist to work off the tension of the blow. She felt a little better now, a little less homicidal toward the man next to her. As long as nothing had happened they should be able to fix this.

  


* * *

  


Sano looked up at the ceiling his face stinging from the blow Jou-chan had inflicted. He finally understood how she had been able to floor Kenshin so many times before. Here he had always thought it was some sort of concession that the ex-assassin allowed her, but now it was obvious that it was her brute force. And Damn, it stung.

  


_Okay,_ he thought, _maybe I DID deserve that._ And maybe it hadn't been such a good idea to talk about their respective relationships while drunk. And this plan, which had made so much sense from an intoxicated point of view, suddenly seemed obscenely idiotic. He shook his head clear, the lack of a hangover something that came from years of liquor induced sleep and sat up.

  


As he sat up, Kaoru shot him another black look, and Sanosuke had to fight the urge just to get up and walk away, leaving her there to hang and deal with this mess on her own. But, with Kenshin finding them like _this_, a considerable amount of damage had been done.

  


Mentally slapping himself the whole time, Sano spoke up, "Listen Jou-chan, I know you don't like this idea, but now we don't really have much choice. If we back out now, then what, have it look like you had a one-night-stand with me for no apparent reason?"

  


Kaoru looked confused, "What's a one-night-stand?" She asked.

  


It was Sanosuke's turn for a dry look. Exactly how much did Kaoru _not_ know about relationships, and sex in particular? She couldn't be _that_ ignorant to react the way she had to waking up in the way they had.

  


"Nevermind," He said under his breath, "You don't want to know."

  


"But –" 

  


"Trust me. You don't want to know." Sano said, cutting her off before he'd be forced to explain what Kenshin obviously thought had happened.

  


"The point is, we have to go through with the plan now," He finished, his head flopped down in his hands. Good gods, he had no idea how the hell they were supposed to fix this. And it was only a matter of time before Megumi would find out, and it was anyone's guess how the fox woman would react.

  


Kaoru looked crestfallen as she stared back at him, "Do we have to?" She asked, what she thought of him apparent in her stare.

  


_NO!_ Was his first screaming thought. After all, he found her about as attractive as being beat on by Saitou or Kenshin or any of the other opponents he had faced. This was going to be hard. No, it was going to be damn near impossible. He gritted his teeth, "Yes, we do."

  


"Sano."

  


"Yes?"

  


"I hate you."

  


"I know."

  


"When this is over, I'm going to kill you."

  


"I can accept that."

  


"If we can't fix this, I'm going to kill you even worse."

  


"That's fair."

  


"How do we fix this?"

  


* * *

  


Kenshin threw himself into his chores, the need to work off the boiling rage and jealousy growing inside him overpowering. He even did the laundry violently, and probably the fastest he had ever done it before, the events of this morning egging him on. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would've never believed it true.

  


Kaoru. _His_ Kaoru. Half-undressed and disheveled (gods, she was beautiful) and in bed with the man who had set himself up as his best friend, and even more, a brother to Kaoru. He fought back a litany of curses. Part of him blamed himself for this, after all, he had never said a word to Kaoru about how he felt about her. The reasoning behind that coming from the very real fear of losing her the way he had lost his wife. But he had been _sure_, so sure that she returned his feelings that the only reason his mind could come up with for what had happened today was that she had gotten tired of waiting.

  


He swore aloud, this time not holding it back. He stared at the floor he had been cleaning, the rag in his hand not moving. Something nagged at him; something about this just wasn't right. But he couldn't put his finger on it. At least not with his brain teasing him with images of Kaoru and Sano engaged in activities of a certain nature. For the first time in his life Kenshin was sorely tempted to murder a man for his own reasons, and not for any political or ethical vendetta.

  


Kenshin gritted his teeth and shook his head, that wasn't right. All that should matter was that Kaoru was happy right? _Right?_ But, she hadn't looked happy. Despite all of Sanosuke's bragging she had looked more horrified than anything else. And hadn't there been containers of Sake scattered around her room? Kenshin's eyes took on a dangerous glint as his mind pieced together what he had seen that morning.

  


Kaoru, half-naked, looking terrified. Sano, the same way, looking smug. Empty containers of liquor strewn around the floor. Kaoru's screams, which didn't sound like those of a passionate lover. Kenshin's eyes narrowed, he had let the younger man get away with a lot in their time together, but the line had to be drawn somewhere. Gambling, drinking and fights were one thing, but this was another thing completely. Taking advantage of a drunk and inexperienced Kaoru was something Kenshin could not, and would not, forgive. After he was done with Sanosuke all the sake in the world wouldn't dull the pain of the wounds Kenshin planned to inflict.

  


Kenshin saw the younger man leave the dojo. He got up to follow, fully intending to beat Sano to a bloody pulp right outside the gates. Yahiko's voice stopped him just as he reached the gates.

  


"Hey, Kenshin! What's for breakfast, I'm starving!" Yahiko's voice rang out, both demanding and curious.

  


Kenshin took a deep breath and turned around, burying his anger under the rurouni-act that he had perfected in ten years of wandering, "This unworthy one almost forgot about breakfast, that I did."

  


"How can you forget about breakfast?" Yahiko asked, coming to a stop next to him.

  


"My mind was on other things, that it was." Kenshin replied, softly, so softly that the boy next to him almost didn't hear him.

  


"What's more important then breakfast?" 

  


Kenshin just shook his head then turned around and headed to the kitchen. Yahiko jumped around, emoting his joy at not having to eat one of Kaoru's special breakfasts. Kenshin sighed, he'd settle things with Sano later, that he would.

  


* * *

  


After Sanosuke left, Kaoru started blankly at the wall, wondering how everything was going to work out. She felt she had been backed into a trap with no way out. Feeling defeated without quite knowing why, Kaoru sighed, and dressed in her practice clothes, then cleaned up her room, removing the empty sake gourds and cleaning the mess of blankets the morning left behind.

  


Kaoru didn't know what to do. She was stuck in this stupid plan that she never remembered agreeing to in the first place, and now Kenshin thought . . . Kaoru flinched, she didn't want to know what Kenshin thought of her now. What _had _happened and what it _looked _like were two different things.

  


Kaoru sat down, and curled into a tight ball, hugging her knees close to her chest. Pretend she liked Sanosuke, huh? Get Kenshin jealous, huh? This plan made no sense, but maybe it could work. She had to try to salvage the damage done by this morning. Sanosuke had told her she had to at least try to make it convincing. But how she would do that, Kaoru had no idea.

  


The shouji door slid open and Kaoru looked up, half-afraid that Kenshin would be there. It wasn't him. Yahiko stood in the door way, looking down at her, a queer look on his face.

  


"Hey Ugly, breakfast is ready."

  


Kaoru stood up, feeling slightly dizzy and still sick to the stomach. If this was always the aftermath, she would never drink again, "Why didn't Kenshin come to tell me?" She asked, her tone softer than usual.

  


"Why the hell should I know," Yahiko started, sounding irked, "He's been acting weird all morning, he almost forgot to make breakfast. If I hadn't reminded him, we'd be eating _your_ cooking right now," The young man shuddered at what he obviously thought was a fate worse than death. It was obvious the taunt was meant to draw out a violent reaction from Kaoru, but today, she just didn't care.

  


Kaoru walked listlessly past a very confused, and now throughly worried Yahiko. Kaoru stared at her feet the whole walk kitchen. She didn't know if she wanted to see Kenshin just yet, but the near violent protests that her stomach made insisted she at least attempt to eat.

  


Kaoru opened the door to the kitchen, the smell of food calling out to her. She slid the door opened, and without looking up, walked in blindly. And ran into something hard.

  


Kaoru stopped and looked up, not wanting to look up, but unable to help herself. It figured that she'd, literally, run into Kenshin. Kaoru stared at his chest, unable to meet his eyes. She could tell, even from only looking at his chest, well-muscled chest, that he was tense.

  


"Morning . . . " Kaoru mumbled, still not meeting his eyes.

  


"Kaoru-dono," He returned simply.

  


_My, what a handsome chest he has . . . _Kaoru thought, absently twining her hair through her fingers, not letting her gaze stray any farther.

  


"Did you sleep well last night, Kaoru-dono?" The question seemed forced, and Kaoru's gaze dropped back to the floor. Wow, Kenshin's feet were so much bigger than hers. She mumbled an answer and walked around him, still staring at the floor. Not looking where she was going, she tripped over a bucket that had been carelessly left on the floor. Kaoru fell forward, watching the floor fly closer with a morbid curiosity. Strong arms stopped the wild approach of the wooden floor, turning her around and drawing her in close. Keeping her safe.

  


Kaoru clutched at Kenshin's gi, unable to stop her shaking. Wether it was another symptom of her hangover or a result of the stressful situation she found herself in when she had awakened, she didn't know. Nor did she care at that moment, especially when Kenshin's arms pulled her in closer. Kaoru welcomed the embrace and buried her face in his chest, all of a sudden fighting down the urge to sob uncontrollably.

  


"It's okay, Kaoru-dono, that it is," Kenshin's soft voice opened a flood gate in Kaoru and the tears came pouring out. Here, with Kenshin, she was convinced everything would be okay. She wouldn't have to be a part of Sano's ludicrous plan. Kenshin understood . . . it was all okay now. But for some reason, she couldn't stop crying.

  


* * *

  


Megumi sat in the office of the small clinic, going over paperwork. At this time in the morning, there were few patients that needed her attention, giving her a chance to catch up on all the work she was behind on from previous days. Not only did she have her own to take care of, but more often than not, Dr. Genzai left his for her to take care of as well, saying that it allowed him more time to spend with his patients. Megumi snorted, left him more time to play with his grandchildren maybe, leaving her buried in paperwork with no time to herself.

  


Megumi heard the door to the clinic bang open and she sighed. It began. Though she truly loved being a doctor, some days she wished she could have just a _little _more time to herself. Or a little more time she could spend provoking Sanosuke, that man was so dense that it was amusing. Not to mention attractive, though she flinched at that thought. Megumi had suffered through too many bad relationships to want the playful banter she shared with Sano to become a bad relationship that would just end up hurting her again.

  


"Hey Megumi!" Sano's voice carried into the small office, and Megumi looked up from her paperwork, keeping the look on her face dry. _Speak of the devil,_ she thought. So it began.

  


"Isn't it a little early for you to be injured from fighting, Sano?" Megumi asked, making a point to _not_ look at him as she spoke.

  


Sano just laughed, and sauntered over, placing his hands on the desk (and over her paperwork) leaning over. Megumi looked up, trying her best to look annoyed, even though she was more amused than anything else.

  


"I've just come to tell you that your troubles are over, Megumi."

  


"Oh, really?"

  


"From this day on, you won't have to worry about me at all."

  


"Is that so. . ."

  


"'Cause, as of today, I'm forgetting about you."

  


"Uh huh . . . " _Yeah, whatever,_ Megumi thought, like they hadn't had _this _conversation before. Every other week or so he claimed some other girl she'd never heard of was the new unquestioned love of his life, and the next week he'd be back, trying to get her attention again. Idly Megumi wondered who the unlucky girl was this time.

  


"I've found a better woman elsewhere."

  


"Really . . . "

  


"And her name is . . . " This was the part she loved, where he would throw out some name off the top of his head, obviously just made up for the expressed purpose of trying to provoke her jealousy. It was cute, in a juvenile sort of way, " . . . Kamiya Kaoru."

  


Megumi's jaw dropped. For the first time she could recall she just stared at him blankly. He was kidding; this was some kind of horrible, sick joke. She hadn't heard right. She couldn't have. "Excuse me?" She asked, unable to help the shock that worked its way into her voice.

  


"You heard me," He said simply, an arrogant grin spreading across his face, "Jou-chan beat you to me."

  


"You're joking."

  


"'Fraid not, Fox. You blew it this time," He made a motion with his hand as he grinned down at her, "Lost your chance completely." Getting up, he started to walk out of her office, waving over his shoulder, "Good bye, Megumi." 

  


Megumi just started after him shocked for a moment, and then her eyes narrowed. So, he thought he could just pull this type of sick joke on her for his amusement, did he? In that moment she was sure that it was all a ruse. And for some reason he had thought to drag Kaoru down with him. Ooh, Kenshin must be _loving_ this.

  


Megumi clenched her fist, then she smiled. The light in her eyes glinted dangerously in the light of her office with the same type of gaze that had earned her the nickname of 'Fox' so long ago. So, Sano wanted to play _this_ game, did he? Well, two could play this game. Megumi knew she could play even better the Sanosuke ever could, and she fully intended to win this little game.

  


Megumi stood to leave. Dr. Genzai could handle what ever work came in today. She had to make a 'house-call'. Grinning evilly, Megumi left the office. _Today is going to be a wickedly fun day_, she thought, as she headed toward the Kamiya dojo in search of her prey. _Ken-san_, she thought, _I hope you're in the mood to play._

  


* * ^-~ * * 


	3. Chapter Three

Title: An Evil Plan Gone Horribly Wrong

Author: Sephira jo (contact at: sephirajo@yahoo.com)

Archive: With permission only

Part: 3/?? (is looking to be about 6 or 7)

Series: Rurouni Kenshin

Rating: R (For loads of innuendo and adult situations/language) But, once again, later chapters may hit NC17 based on my mood. (Note to FF.net users: If that happens I'll have edited versions of those chapters to post here.)

Genre: Romantic Comedy/Drama

Pairings: Kenshin/Kaoru, Sano/Megumi

Disclaimer: I don't own Kenshin! *sob sob*

If you wanted to be notified when I update my fan fiction, I have a mailing list. You can join at: 

  


Authors Note: Yes. The Sano ass kicking chapter has arrived! *Does a little happy dance* You know, for some reason Sano is really F***** Sexxy when being beaten up. And Megumi's Play time begins as well! I hope you all Enjoy! Thanks for all the reviews, but I crave more! REVIEW! Review my minions! Review! ^_^

  


* * ^-^ * *

  


The morning sun did nothing to match the sheen in Megumi's eyes as she practically skipped to the Kamiya Dojo, a simple tune escaping her lips. Megumi was on the hunt. Not just one hunt, no simply baiting Sanosuke alone for his little performance in her office this morning would not be enough. If he thought he could make _her _jealous by invoking the Kaoru card, she could pull the exact same thing. And right now, she was on the hunt for her red-haired trump card. Her so-called 'ace-in-the-hole.' Himura Kenshin. This game was way too much fun to pass up.

  


Megumi turned corners and dogged people easily, the Dojo becoming visible as she turned yet another bend. She stopped for a moment, taking a mental check of herself. Her long black hair was immaculate, not a strand out of place. She pulled out a small mirror she kept on her person; her lip paint was perfect, as always. She looked _good_. If things followed their normal pattern, which there was no reason why they shouldn't, Sano would show up in a couple hours fully expecting lunch. By that time, Megumi planned to have the situation under _her_ control.

  


Megumi opened the gate to the Dojo and strode in, strutting like a peacock. Yahiko was in the yard, looking despondent, he looked up in her direction and came running over.

  


"Megumi! I'm glad to see you! Quick, do me a favor, will ya? Try to make Kaoru angry! I think she's sick or something, I'll know for sure if _you_ can't pull anything out of her," The young man let out in a rush. Megumi raised one eyebrow quizzically, Kaoru not angry at Yahiko? Interesting . . . 

  


"Are you sure it's just not you, Yahiko-chan?" Megumi stated slyly.

  


"No, there's something really wrong with her! I was going to go get you, but you came here yourself," Yahiko answered, completely unfazed by the hated suffix. Megumi stared down at him, well that made three members of 'Team Kenshin' acting strangely, he hadn't reacted to the chan at all.

  


Megumi gave him a simple smile and said, "Don't worry, I'll get something out of her, I promise," She finished with a wink and tapped Yahiko playfully on the nose, "But first, tell me, where's Ken-san?"

  


"Sure, he's doing more laundry, he's been acting weird all morning too. Hey, wait a second, how's you knowing where Kenshin is going to make Kaoru angry?" Yahiko finished, his suspicion on the rise as he looked at Megumi strangely.

  


"Just make sure Kaoru can see everything I do. I guarantee she'll be better in no time." _And it will completely blow Sanosuke's great and wonderful game, _Megumi thought, grinning evilly. After all, If Kaoru reacted to her plastering herself all over Ken-san, that would be the proof she needed that Sano's speech in the office had been nothing more than a ruse. Making Megumi the undisputed champion of this little game of their's.

  


Yahiko's eyes also took on an impish light, it was apparent that he understood Megumi's idea perfectly, at least from his own limited perspective on the situation, "No problem, this will wake ugly up for sure!" 

  


Yahiko ran off into the dojo to make sure Kaoru was in position. Megumi walked back to where Kenshin was hanging laundry. She cast a quick glance at the dojo; Yahiko had positioned the Tanuki. The show was on.

  


Megumi took a deep breath, "Oh, Ken-san!" she wailed and sprinted toward the rurouni, her best 'I'm an innocent woman please help me' face on, she reached the shocked man quickly and threw her arms around him.

  


"Oro?" was his shocked reply. Megumi had to suppress a giggle at the comical noise the shocked swordsman made. _Stay in character,_ she reminded herself fiercely, _I have to stay in character._

  


She snuggled as close as she could to Kenshin without causing him to loose his balance too much and continued, putting the just the right amount of feminine angst in her voice, "Ken-san, it's terrible Sanosuke's gone and done something absolutely terrible!" 

  


She felt Kenshin stiffen under her embrace from shock. Megumi grinned, she shot a quick glance back at the side door to the dojo, sure enough, there stood Kaoru. Perfect. She emoted a ladylike sob and snuggled closer.

  


"Wha-what happened, Megumi-dono?" Kenshin asked, his voice seemed tighter than usual, but Megumi paid it no heed.

  


Another womanly sob, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling herself even closer, "He," She sobbed dramatically, "He . . . "_ Snuggle closer, burry my face in his neck, that way it looks like kissing_, "He broke my heart," She finished, making sure the last part was strangled on a sob. Now, for the finishing move, "And . . ."

  


Kenshin became even stiffer if that was possible, "Broke your heart, that he did . . . "

  


Megumi looked up at Kenshin, her eyes were bright with faux tears, "And, You're the only one who can fix it, Ken-san!" She dragged him closer, pulling him as close as she could. She could feel Kaoru's eyes upon them. Perfect, Kaoru _would_ react to this, Sano's ploy _would_ be exposed. Megumi started the count down, she knew the younger woman so well she could time Kaoru's reactions perfectly.

  


_Five._ _Four. Three. Two. One._ Megumi looked up, expecting Kaoru to come running toward them, her shinai swinging, the death of them both in her eyes. Megumi almost dropped Kenshin at the sight that greeted her. Or the lack thereof. Kaoru was gone.

  


* * *

  


Breathe. _Breathe._ _Count backwards. Five, four, three, two, one._ Kaoru forcibly pushed down her first reaction to the fiasco in the dojo yard. She turned around a walked away, feeling half dead. The urge to pound Kenshin and Megumi into the ground didn't fade though, not even under her dulled emotions.

  


She reached her room and sliding open the door, walked in listlessly. She unrolled her futon and flopped down on the bed face first, burying her head in her arms. She was sick, angry, still had a headache and nothing in this day had gone right yet. Well, not entirely, after all, Kenshin _had_ hugged her. After she had finished sobbing, his warm arms around her, Kenshin had helped her get some breakfast, the whole time unfailingly gentle with her, despite that fact that he, himself, had seemed extremely tense, like he was holding himself back.

  


After breakfast, which had barely stayed down, she had gone back here, to her room, only to be dragged out when Yahiko had come in saying that Megumi was here and wanted to see her. Kaoru bit her lip, her temper on the rise was doing nothing to help her still pounding head, Megumi had wanted to plaster herself all over Kenshin. The older woman was so annoying like that, why couldn't she and Sano have just gotten over whatever their problem was, so she wouldn't have to be wrapped up in it. But _no_, here she was stuck in the middle of this mess. Kaoru raised her head as her ears, sensitized by the headache, picked up two sets of foot steps outside her door.

  


Kaoru made it to her feet and opening the door slightly; she peered down the hallway. Kenshin with a softly sobbing Megumi in tow headed in the direction of _her_ rurouni's room. Bad to worse. This day just kept getting worse, and it wasn't even lunch time yet. Kaoru bit her lip again and thinking quickly left her room and went outside. Remembering how Yahiko had hidden from them all the first time Megumi had been to the dojo, Kaoru followed the same path and crawled under the steps, putting herself in the exact right place to place her ear to the floor above her and hear most of the conversation in the room. After all, this dojo was her home, and ever since childhood she had been perfecting small tricks like this. Pressing one overly-sensitive ear to the cold, hard wood above her, Kaoru listened.

  


* * *

  


Kenshin stared at the woman sitting directly across from him. With Takani Megumi things were never quite what they seemed but, even so, confusion radiated off the younger woman in waves.

  


She was sobbing softly, looking genuinely confused and hurt even though the emotions didn't reflect in her eyes. Kenshin suppressed a sigh. Today was a very bad day. Right now the only thing he wanted was to go and have a 'talk' with Sanosuke. Apparently Sanosuke had spent this day hurting every woman close to him.

  


Bitting down the urge to be overly sarcastic with Megumi, he spoke, "Megumi-dono," He began, keeping his voice as even as possible, "What did Sanosuke do to _you_ this morning?"

  


Megumi sniffled. A little too dramatically, Kenshin thought, "He came to the clinic this morning, like he does some mornings," Megumi paused, waiting for a reply that never came. Kenshin just stared at her coldly, he wanted this over with as soon as possible. The whole of events today made him sick. Megumi sighed and continued, "He came into my office, and . . . and . . . " 

  


Kenshin just stared at her, exactly how much of this was a performance, he wasn't sure, but regardless he would listen, if only to find out exactly what the hell Sanosuke was up to, "And?" He asked, his voice clipped.

  


It was obvious that the female doctor could tell the difference in his demeanor, she looked up at him, her eyes now more questioning than anything else, but still controlled.

  


"And he bragged about it. What happened between him and Kaoru," Kenshin felt his eyes flash amber, and he had to fight it down, "To be perfectly honest, I didn't believe a word of it at first. Sano pulls this type of thing from time to time, well, not _this_ type of thing, but something similar. I just came here to see if it was true."

  


"He bragged about it, did he?" 

  


"Yes," more dramatic sniffling, "I came here to talk to Kaoru-chan, and then I saw you," a pause. Kenshin didn't like where this was leading, but he let Megumi keep talking anyway, "And, Oh, Ken-san," Megumi scooted closer, placing a hand on his knee, Kenshin gritted his teeth, "If it's true, then Ken-san, you'll be the only one for me!"

  


_Like hell I am_, Kenshin thought, but didn't voice that. Instead, he forced his clueless grin on his face and smiled and took Megumi's hand and removed it from his knee releasing it into her own lap. Play the rurouni, now not only for Kaoru's benefit, but Megumi's as well. After all, it appeared that Sano had managed to hurt both of them badly, and in less than a day.

  


"You shouldn't worry about this Megumi-dono, that you shouldn't. This unworthy one promises to take care of things, that I do," And that he would, as soon as he got his hands on Sanosuke, the ex-fighter-for-higher would be lucky if he'd ever be able to move again.

  


Kenshin stood up and walked to his door and slid it open, without even making a back glance toward Megumi. He stopped just before he left the room and spoke once more, without looking back at Megumi. Right now he didn't want her, or anyone to see the gold in his eyes, "You're welcome to stay and join us for lunch today Megumi-dono, that you are."

  


He heard Megumi stand up, he heard her walk over to him, and he felt the shift of air around her that was the precursor to her wrapping her arms around him, clinging to him. Kenshin bit his cheek, drawing blood, the taste of it spiking his temper even more. _Deep breath._ Today was going to be a very long day.

  


"Oh, Ken-san, thank you so much," Megumi said, her low and sultry voice grating against Kenshin's already strained nerves. He tried to deftly disengage himself from her to no avail. Megumi's attentions were something he didn't want, nor need, at the moment. He stared at the door to Kaoru's room as they walked past wondering if she had retreated there yet again. Kenshin's temper spiked again and he made his best effort to stamp it down, for now it would do no good to loose control. For Kaoru-dono, if nothing else, he would try to remain calm until he had the chance to confront Sanosuke.

  


* * *

  


Kaoru crawled out from her hiding place covered with dirt and worried. Sano had gone to Megumi all right, but Megumi hadn't reacted the way Sano had been so sure she would. She wasn't getting all jealous and clinging to the fighter. She was going after Kenshin! Kaoru stood up and brushed the dirt off of her the best she could, before making the way back to her room, the whole time plagued by thoughts of Megumi with Kenshin. 

  


Back in her room, she sat on her futon, hugging her legs to her chest. So, Megumi was going after Kenshin again, huh. Sano to her about his and Kaoru's supposed relationship, huh? Head resting on her knees, Kaoru pushed back tears, this day was a train wreck, even if Kenshin did hold her earlier that didn't mean his opinion of her wasn't ruined beyond all repair by finding her half-undressed in bed with Sanosuke. Maybe his idea of her had been so sullied that he wouldn't want anything to do with her anymore. At least not _romantically_.

  


Kaoru fought down tears. She had no illusions about herself. She was a girl who was more like a man then most men. She beat people up. She couldn't cook. She shouted all the time. And now she was sure that Kenshin thought she was easy as well. The tears she had been fighting back rolled down her cheeks and an unbidden sob came forth, then another. Before she knew it, she was crying.

  


Distantly she heard the shouji door slide open. She turned around, quickly wiping her eyes, not wanting to be caught with the sheen of tears still in them. He blue eyes widened when she saw who stood in her doorway. _Kenshin._

  


"Kaoru-dono, are you okay?" Kenshin asked softly, as he entered the room, the door sliding shut behind him, "What's wrong?"

  


Kaoru rubbed her selves over her face once more to remove any lingering traces of tears on her face, "No-nothing's wrong," She said quietly, not trusting her strained voice to speak any louder, "I'm fine. Really, I'm okay," she finished, not looking at him. Not wanting to see the emotions she believed to be on his face.

  


"No, you're not," Kenshin responded simply, his voice closer to her than Kaoru thought he was. She looked up to her right to see Kenshin kneeling there beside her, his eyes violet-gold and shining, both angry looking and sad. They enticed her, she couldn't look away from those eyes as he slowly, almost shyly, reached brushed a hand against the skin of her cheek, smudging not-quite-dry tears across her skin. In that moment, Kaoru was trapped as he gently reached out with his other hand, taking her face in his hands. Kaoru couldn't move as Kenshin pulled her closer.

  


Kaoru's body relaxed, her hands reaching out grasping Kenshin's arms feeling the hard muscled arms beneath the fabric of his gi. Kaoru was choking back tears again, here was Kenshin, once again being unfailingly gentle with her as he pulled her into his embrace. 

  


For the second time that day she was in Kenshin's arms. She felt a hand stroke at her hair as she nuzzled Kenshin's neck. Kaoru was fighting down tears again, and she began to tremble trying to keep them down.

  


"It's okay now, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin whispered into her hair, his breath ruffled the wayward raven strands, "You're okay now," he finished. 

  


Kaoru shook her head, gulping in an effort to keep tears down, "No. . . . Kenshin, do you hate me now?" Kaoru asked softly, not even aware she was voicing her worry aloud.

  


"No. I don't hate you now. Not at all," Kenshin answered simply and Kaoru looked up when he answered her. Tears now flowing quickly down her face again. Kenshin's eyes looked vaguely amber in the dim light of her room. Kaoru's breath caught, causing her to hiccup on the sobs still stuck in her throat.

  


Kenshin laughed softly, and Kaoru blushed, suddenly embarrassed as she hiccupped a second time. Finally she was able to speak without the embarrassing squeaking noise. Her curiosity piqued she asked, "Kenshin why did you come in here?"

  


"I was worried about you, that I was, Kaoru . . . " His voice trailed off as he pulled her close again, his embrace tighter than before.

  


Kaoru was shocked, no longer because of the embrace. No longer because he was here with her, in her room. But because he had dropped the honorific, calling her by just her name, "Kenshin?"

  


"You don't need to avoid me," Kenshin started, "I _know_ what happened with Sanosuke, and I _know_ it's _not your fault_."

  


Kaoru was shaking. Kenshin _did_ understand. Kaoru looked up at him and smiled, tears of relief sparkled in her eyes. Kenshin said nothing more, just pulling her close again. Only holding her, nothing more. Kaoru treasured the quiet moments that followed, as Kenshin just held her, muttering comforting words into her hair, running his hands over her hair and shoulders.

  


After a moment Kenshin rose to his feet, pulling Kaoru up with him, "Come on, Kaoru-dono, You can't hide in here all day, that you can't. Even Yahiko is starting to worry about you, that he is."

  


Kaoru raised an eyebrow quizzically, not quite believing that. Kenshin chuckled, "It's true," He reiterated simply and Kaoru snorted, a gesture typical of her that showed exactly what she thought of that idea.

  


"There she is, my Kaoru-dono," He grinned, his eyes a warm shade of amber flecked with violet, "Come on, This unworthy one will keep you safe today, that I will." Kenshin finished, taking her hand and leading her out of her room. So wrapped up in his attention, she paid no attention to the color of his eyes and the threat inherent in the promise of protection. She gladly followed Kenshin from her room.

  


* * *

  


Sano grinned. This day couldn't be any more perfect. Although it had started out a bit shaky, he had salvaged the situation easily enough turning it in his favor. Meugmi's reaction, which he had initially been dreading, was classic. _This_ time she would no doubt fall right into his waiting hands. After leaving his fox, he had joined some friends for a game of dice and had come out the winner. With the fresh earnings in tow, he was able to buy more sake. Although not enough to make him drunk it was enough to leave him pleasantly buzzed and content.

  


It was close to noon now and he was getting a little on the hungry side. He toyed with the idea of eating out, but discarded it quickly. It would be much more effective in terms of 'the plan' to go and eat at the dojo. Whistling a simple tune to himself, he started toward the dojo, confident that Jou-chan had resolved the morning's situation to their favor.

  


The walk to the dojo short and Sanosuke arrived quickly. Walking through the gate, the ex-fighter-for-higher ran right into Yahiko, who, instead of practicing or baiting Jou-chan had been walking toward the gate, apparently not watching where he was going.

  


"Hey, you little brat, watch where you're going," Sano said, picking up the kid and setting on his feet.

  


"Why don't _you_ watch where _you'r_e going?!" Yahiko returned, his tone indigent, then his face lit up, like he was struck by an idea, "Hey, Chicken-head, Ugly, Kenshin and even Megumi are acting weird! Do you know what's going on here? Everyone is going crazy!"

  


"Megumi's here?" Sano asked, this could definitely work to his advantage. If he played it right.

  


"Yeah, and everyone's gone fucking crazy!" Yahiko shouted.

  


Sanosuke cuffed Yahiko across the head, "Don't swear, you little bastard," he told Yahiko, "It's a bad habit."

  


Yahiko rubbed the bump on his head muttering something under his breath before jumping the larger fighter playfully. Sanosuke laughed, and pulled Yahiko off of him easily, the young boy laughing too. Sano found himself wondering idly why he was the target for Yahiko's daily stress relief as opposed to Jou-chan. Maybe, just maybe, she was too busy making sure things were done on her end. Sano grinned. That could be it.

  


Sano heard footsteps and looked up, to be greeted by the sight of Kenshin. Something seemed off about the other man, but Sanosuke couldn't quite put his finger on it. He just seemed to be standing a little more tense than usual. 'The Plan' must be working. Sano grinned.

  


"Hey Kenshin, What's for lunch?" Sano causally asked.

  


"Get out of here Sano," Kenshin said.

  


"What?" Both Sano and Yahiko said in unison. Sano was shocked for a moment then grinned widely, thinking the plan must _really_ be working for Kenshin to be acting like this.

  


"I said, get out of here."

  


Sano laughed, "Why? Are you upset that I _got_ what you _couldn't_?" 

  


Kenshin didn't respond, at least not with words, the growling noise he let out made Yahiko and Sano take a step backwards. Yahiko looked up at the tall fighter, "Uh, Sano? I think maybe you should go . . . " He said quietly, so only the older man could hear him.

  


"Don't worry," Sano whispered to Yahiko, adding a conspiratorial wink, "It's all part of the plan."

  


"You're fucking crazy too! He looks like he wants to kill you, and it's part of the plan?! What plan?" Yahiko hissed back.

  


"Look, just let me deal with this."

  


"Okay. Goodbye. Nice knowing you," Yahiko said, backing away slowly.

  


Sano looked at the kid like he had suddenly gone crazy then shook his head, turning his attention back to Kenshin. He walked right up to the rurouni, a lazy grin plastered on his face.

  


"So, Kenshin, what's wrong with me wanting to stay for lunch, and maybe a 'snack' afterwards?" Sano said, adding a lewd wink to accent his remark.

  


The smaller man looked right up at him, and Sano swallowed the cold bolt of nervousness that shot through him. Kenshin's eyes were cold. And amber. So, this was Kenshin jealous, eh? Sano just barely managed to keep the smile on his face the whole time.

  


"Just get the hell out of here," Kenshin spat, his voice dark, his hands balled into fists.

  


"Sano?" A questioning voice broke the tension between to two men. Sanosuke looked up to see Kaoru standing in the dojo's courtyard. He turned his grin on her.

  


"Hey, Jou-chan! Ya mind if I stay for lunch?" He asked, walking right up to her, placing his hand on Kaoru's arm. She seemed to flinch, but he ignored it.

  


"Kaoru-dono, go back inside." Kenshin called to the young girl. Sano grinned down at the younger woman who didn't meet his or Kenshin's gaze. But she didn't move to leave either.

  


Sano pulled her close, "Aw, come on Kenshin, you're not her father. This _is_ Jou-chan's home. If she says I can be here, I can be here. Right Kaoru?" He winked down at her.

  


Kaoru looked down at the ground, "Sure. You can stay for lunch if you want." Each word she spoke sounded forced, Sanosuke raised an eyebrow at the young woman who didn't even meet his gaze. Strange . . . 

  


"See Kenshin? It's all settled. I get to stay for lunch." He gave Kaoru a squeeze for good measure then walked into the dojo's main building. Right inside the building stood Megumi, staring at him, her eyes glinting in the dim light.

  


"Sano."

  


Sanosuke grinned, "Megumi."

  


"I'm on to you."

  


"Really? That's funny. This time there's nothing to be on to."

  


Megumi grinned, Sano would've given anything to be able to read that woman's mind. She was absolutely unfathomable sometimes. She kept that fox-like grin as she answered, "Honestly, how stupid do you think I am."

  


"Do you want the true answer to that?"

  


Megumi snorted, "Really, you're the stupid one here. I'm surprised Kenshin hasn't killed you yet."

  


"That won't happen, Fox," Sano said, his lazy grin spread even wider as he walked past Megumi, pointing a finger at her nose, "I'd be willing to bet on it. My luck has nothing but perfect today."

  


Megumi laughed, Sano loved the sound, even when it was directed at him, "It's your funeral Chicken-head. I hope you enjoy it." She turned to walk away, "I hope you enjoy the show at lunch today. It's going to be something else. That's for sure."

  


* * *

  


Kaoru felt like lying down in a ditch somewhere and doing the world the favor of removing her person from it. Things had just begun to get better. She had just been getting a handle on everything, and her headache and hangover had almost been gone. Then _he_ had come back. The very cause of all her troubles. That bastard, Sagara Sanosuke.

  


Sanosuke had come here for some lunch. Realistically, Kaoru couldn't refuse him. She couldn't refuse anyone coming to her dojo for any reason. So, despite Kenshin's looks of warning she had welcomed her friend in. Kenshin's reaction to her invitation had been more than scary. His gaze had rested on Sano's back and Kaoru was sure his eyes were shining amber. This time she knew it was no 'trick of the light'. 

  


In that moment he had been fully prepared to kill their friend, Kaoru was sure of it. She had shot Kenshin a single, pleading look and shook her head. Kenshin had gazed back at her, then in an act of silent agreement he had turned and stalked away. Kaoru wondered if Sanosuke knew just how close he had been to death in those moments. 

  


Sighing, she bent over and plunged her hands into the bucket of water that sat in front of her. The water was cold, no one had bathed yet, so the water hadn't been heated. She splashed some of the cold water against her face, wiping away some of the dirt there. Taking a small towel from the corner of the bathhouse, she patted her face dry, scowling when the towel came away brown with dirt.

  


Sighing she repeated the process. She had forgotten how dirty crawling under various rooms was. Kaoru dried her face again and looking into the water pondered her reflection. Besides the smudges of stubborn dirt, her eyes were puffy from tears and blood shot and she looked like she had been on the wrong end of a fist fight. Kaoru winced. Then she stood up leaving the bathhouse behind her. At least she had gotten most of the dirt off of her face, making her somewhat presentable for lunch. The next step was to get out of her dirt stained clothes.

  


Kaoru picked a light blue Kimono with a simple pattern and a dark blue Obi. She wanted something to pick up her mood, which, wasn't really helping itself today. So Kaoru fell back on the only girl-like thing she had. Her large collection of clothes. She had just finished changing, putting the last touches on what had to be the most complicated knot she had ever tied, when there was a quiet knock on her door.

  


"Who is it?" Kaoru called out, the previous evening having made her wary of unexpected knocks on her bedroom door.

  


"Kaoru-dono, It's me," was the reply from the other side of the sliding screen door.

"Coming," She sang out. Kaoru almost danced over to the door, so happy she was that he was at her bedroom door.

  


She slid the door open, unable to keep the stupid grin off her face. She was looking right at her rurouni, his eyes a shifting mix of violet and amber. "Yes, Kenshin? What do you need?"

  


"You," Kenshin said quietly, so quietly that Kaoru wasn't sure she had heard him right. She caught her breath as she locked gazes with him again, in the split second she had looked away his eyes must have changed. They were now full amber.

  


"Excuse me?" Kaoru squeaked out, her voice abandoning her as she stood, caught by those eyes.

  


Kenshin blinked quickly, when he opened them a second later they were a shifting mix of mostly violet with amber sparks, "I meant to say that lunch is ready, that I did." He took a deep breath and unleashed the rurouni grin, "Kaoru-dono, lunch is ready, are you going to come and eat with us?"

  


Kaoru smiled and kept in check the laughter she felt bubbling up. Kenshin always cheered her up, no matter what he did, his very presence made her happy, "Yes, I'm going to eat lunch, Kenshin. I don't want to go hungry." A wandering thought entered Kaoru's head and she pushed Kenshin aside to look out of her door right then left.

  


"Where's Megumi-san?" Kaoru asked, she knew the doctor was about and it was unlike her not to cause trouble, at least not as far as she and Kenshin were concerned.

  


Kenshin laughed softly, "I was able to shake her off, that I was. But you'd better hurry, this unworthy one thinks that she'll be after me soon."

  


Kaoru smiled again, and shyly reaching out she took Kenshin's hand in hers. Kaoru felt a blush creep into her cheeks and she couldn't look Kenshin right in the eyes. She just stared their hands. Even just standing here, holding Kenshin's hand, Kaoru felt warmth spread through her, radiating from where his hand touched hers.

  


"Kaoru-dono?" Kenshin asked, his tone questioning, his voice hushed.

  


Kenshin's voice broke through Kaoru's thoughts and she realized what she had been doing. Blushing furiously Kaoru moved to release his hand. 

  


Kenshin's hand grasped Kaoru's stopping her quiet retreat, "No," he said quietly, "It's okay, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin continued, his strong fingers treading through her small ones.

  


Kaoru looked into Kenshin's eyes once more, and in that moment, everything changed. Either Kenshin moved closer to her, or she moved closer to him, Kaoru couldn't tell. And, caught in his eyes, swirling pools of gold, she didn't care who had moved. Then, ever so lightly, Kenshin's lips brushed against her own, questioning. Kaoru was shocked, but offered no resistance to Kenshin's questioning kiss. Sensing this Kenshin pulled her closer, taking this kiss deeper.

  


The pure sensation of it was enough to leave Kaoru breathless. She clung to Kenshin and it seemed that a flood gate was opened. And the gentle kiss suddenly became deep and passionate. Kenshin's mouth devoured hers, and he crushed her into him. Kaoru felt like her body was on fire, suddenly light ablaze.

  


Kenshin growled in her mouth, the feeling of it sent shivers up Kaoru's spine. Kaoru twined her fingers through the fabric of Kenshin's gi, brushing the hot flesh there. Kaoru let Kenshin lead her, step by step, back into her bedroom.

  


When Kenshin's mouth moved from hers and traveled down her neck, Kaoru shuddered. Somehow Kaoru mustered the piece of mind to ask, "Kenshin," she started, gasping when he bit down on her neck, "What about lunch?" 

  


"They can feed themselves," Kenshin said, his voice not the normal rurouni tone, but something darker, "Besides, _I_ _don't want Sano anywhere near you_," He finished, his voice harsh. 

  


"Why not?" Kaoru gasped, confused. Kenshin reached out and took her face in his hands, fingers brushing stray strands of raven hair out of the way.

  


"Because, he hurt you last night, and no one hurts what's mine and gets away with it."

  


"Mine?"

  


"Yes Kaoru, you are mine." Kenshin's eyes seemed to give off a light of their own in the small room. Kaoru felt her lower lip begin to tremble. _His._ Kenshin had called her _his._ Kenshin took her mouth with his once again, kissing her deeper than before, leaving Kaoru gasping for breath and burning hot.

  


"Yes, you're mine," Kenshin spoke between heated kisses, his words as passionate as his actions, as his hands, as his lips, "I'll protect you, I'll always keep you safe. Kaoru . . . "

  


Kaoru almost felt like crying, those words were closer than anything to a confession of love than she had ever gotten out of Kenshin before. She kissed him back, just as passionately, now not even listening to the words he spoke as his hands moved over the fabric of her kimono, as his lips took their fill of hers.

  


"Ken-san? Kaoru?" Megumi's voice cut through the haze of passion and with it came a very sobering and mortifying thought, the door was open. Kaoru's eyes shot open, and she pulled away from a now swearing Kenshin, her face, which had been flushed with passion was now red from embarrassment.

  


Kenshin stood up to face Megumi, Kaoru hadn't even known that they had been on the floor, she had no recollection of how they had came to be there. Kaoru fixed her hair hurriedly and tried to stand up as well, only to find her legs didn't want to work.

  


"What do you want, Megumi-dono?" Kenshin's voice was its soft and normal tone again. The fast transition scared Kaoru. How was he able to get back to his normal self so fast? Unless, a disturbing thought took her, the rurouni wasn't the 'normal' Kenshin.

  


"You've taken so long fetching Kaoru that I was beginning to think that you got lost," Megumi said simply, "We've been waiting for you two."

  


"Kaoru-dono's not feeling well and isn't that hungry, that she isn't," Kenshin answered back.

  


"Well that's all well and good, the Tanuki could stand to lose a few pounds," Megumi said, "But, Ken-san, I will absolutely not eat without _you_!" Megumi finished. And Kaoru felt her temper spike at the doctor's words. It went even higher when Megumi grabbed Kenshin by the arm pulling through the door.

  


Kaoru watched as Kenshin was pulled out the door and down the hallway by the woman doctor and she felt herself start shaking with rage. She picked up her shinai from the corner of her room and stomped out her door, fully intending to pound Megumi and Kenshin into the ground. Megumi for taking her rurouni, and Kenshin for letting himself be taken.

  


A hand grabbed her shinai and she looked back to see Sanosuke standing behind her shaking his head.

  


"Uh, uh, uh, That's a don't. The plan remember? You're not supposed to care." Sano said, his voice lilting, and Kaoru found herself wondering if he was drunk already, again, that thought made her want to beat _him_. Sanosuke drunk was the cause of this mess.

  


"Fuck the plan!" Kaoru swore, "And fuck you! I didn't want to do this anyway!" Kaoru shouted, her temper getting the best of her.

  


"Whoa, that's the first time I've ever heard _you_ swear Jou-chan, What happened?"

  


"That's none of your business!" Kaoru said, raising her shinai to use on the spiky haired fighter for higher.

  


Sano grabbed the wooden practice sword easily. Kaoru's constricting Kimono didn't allow for the movements needed to beat the arrogant bastard into the ground. She made a growling noise and Sano laughed.

  


"No killing me until _after_ we sort this plan out, remember?" He said, tossing her shinai on the hall way floor, "I've managed to get Yahiko to go out to lunch with Tsubame, so that brat isn't around. Lunch should be fun. Let's go. It's lunch time."

  


Grasping her by the upper sleeve of her kimono, Sano pulled Kaoru down the hallway and toward the dining room where lunch was set up. Kaoru gritted her teeth, she could already see Megumi plastered all over Kenshin, sitting right next to him, her Kenshin doing nothing to stop the advances just made her even more angry and confused. Lunch, despite what Sanosuke thought, was not going to be a pleasant affair at all.

  


* * *

  


Kenshin was not enjoying himself. Megumi had taken it upon herself to disturb Kaoru and him in the middle of something much more pleasant than being clung to by a clever fox. Then again, maybe it wasn't such a bad thing that Megumi had shown up when she did. Kenshin had almost completely lost control. He had no right to be doing that to Kaoru, especially when she had been taken advantage of the previous night by Sanosuke.

  


_Sanosuke._ That man was dead. He just didn't know it yet. Sanosuke sat next to Kaoru, who flinched every time the man touched her and never once met his laughing gaze. The bastard had dared to come back here after what he had pulled last night. The only thing that baffled Kenshin was why Kaoru had let that man back into her dojo. He knew why, it was part of that girl's nature. Kaoru gave to everyone even those that hurt her.

  


It was that nature that made Kaoru beautiful, that giving nature that had allowed that asshole to take advantage of her the way he had. It was that nature that Kenshin loved, when before meeting her, he had resigned himself to never being worthy of love again. And his Kaoru, _his Kaoru_, had been hurt deeply. That was something that Kenshin would not forgive.

  


A particularly strong hug from Megumi followed by a grating, to his ears anyway, 'Ken-san' nearly strangled Kenshin, breaking his train of thoughts. The only comforting thing about it was that he was not Megumi's true target. Kenshin had been around enough women like her in his days to know exactly what the fox was up too. And playing innocent about became harder and harder as her games became more and more bold. Kenshin was half tempted to pick her up and heave her at Sanosuke, the real person Megumi was after. But Kenshin had never willingly hurt a woman in his life and he had no desire to start now.

  


An even bolder squeeze from the doctor made him seriously reconsider that notion. Perhaps Tomoe would forgive him for doing it just once. After all, the throw wouldn't hurt Megumi, at least not much.

  


Kenshin forgot all thoughts of throwing the female doctor across the table at Sano, when Kaoru, apparently fed up by the spectacle, got up and left. She shoved her tray away from herself violently, the miso soup splashing and nearly spilling all over. Kenshin watched and tried to disengage himself from the leech like Megumi to follow.

  


Sano got up and went off after Kaoru and Kenshin saw red. He struggled against Megumi's hold wondering why the female doctor was so strong, it must have had something to do with holding down patients, he thought. Kenshin couldn't take it anymore, grasping her arms, careful not hurt her and started to pull himself free.

  


"Damnit Megumi, let go!" Kenshin said, unaware in his anger that he was speaking out of his rurouni character.

  


"Of course, why didn't you just ask, Ken-san?" Megumi said, her tone light and playful and let go, sending Kenshin flying forward. Only his quick reactions kept him from landing face first on the floor.

  


Kenshin glared at her, "I know about these games you play, and from now on leave me out of them."

  


Megumi just laughed, "Well I would hope that _you_ would know. After all, I think I understand you as well as one can, and if you were as clueless as you let on, you would've died a _long_ time ago, wouldn't you've Ken-san?"

  


"Just leave me out," Kenshin said again.

  


"But it's so much fun," Megumi said under her breath as she ate a pickled radish. Kenshin turned and left the dining room, going in direction he saw Kaoru and Sano leave in. More than a little grateful to be leaving Megumi behind.

  


Before Kenshin rounded a corner, the sound of voices reached his ears. Kaoru's voice, and Sano's. 

  


". . .Damnit Sano, I didn't want to do this last night, and I don't want to do it today! Just leave me alone!" Kaoru's voice cut through the air, her words snapping the last strains of Kenshin's temper. 

  


Seeing nothing but red, Kenshin rounded the corner. Kaoru was backed against the hallway wall, Sanosuke standing over her an arm on either side, effectively trapping the small woman.

  


"SANO!" Kenshin shouted, both Kaoru and Sano looked up, Karou looking relieved to see him, Sano just looked shocked.

  


"Get away from her, _NOW_," Kenshin said through gritted teeth. Sano backed up a little from Kaoru, that grin still on his face. Kenshin very much wanted to bash it into his face right now.

  


"Hey, Kenshin, I was just leaving," Sanosuke said casually, as if nothing was wrong at all. He looked at Kaoru and took her chin in his hand. Kenshin felt his blood boil, "We'll pick this up later, Jou-chan," He said, before walking down the hallway and out the door.

  


Kenshin followed him, this time nothing would stop him from giving Sanosuke the beating he so deserved. As he left, he thought he heard Kaoru asking where he was going, but he paid it no heed. He was, after all, doing this for her.

  


* * *

  


"Well, there goes a dead man."

  


Kaoru whipped around, Megumi was standing behind her, a sardonic smile on her face, "What do you mean, 'there goes a dead man'?" Kaoru asked.

  


Megumi smiled kindly at Kaoru, "Don't worry about it. It's Sano's problem now. That idiot. Well, I better get back to the clinic," Megumi sighed, "I have a feeling that I'll be seeing Sanosuke there very soon."

  


"Why?"

  


"I said don't worry about it Kaoru. Oh and by the way, when Kenshin gets back, you may want to explain to him that he just beat up a very stupid, but innocent Sano." Megumi added, as she walked out the door then added, "And that he didn't do anything to you at all last night."

  


Kaoru just stood there dumbfounded. Unsure of what had just happened. She shook her head. Megumi was right. It wasn't her problem anymore. She'd let Kenshin take care of it. After all, whatever was coming his way, Sanosuke so deserved it right now. At least as far as Kaoru was concerned. She sighed, and turning around headed across the dojo to heat some bath water for herself, and just forget about the events of the past day.

  


* * *

  


Sano never even saw it coming. One moment he was walking down an alley way, humming some mindless tune to himself, the next he was being held by his neck to the wall of a building by Kenshin. A golden-eyed Kenshin. _Ohhhh Shit._

  


_First response, try to explain, _"Hey, Kenshin . . . trust me, it's not what you think!" Sano said, his hands up.

  


Kenshin's eyes just narrowed, and Sano never even saw the fist that punched him move. The blow was to the side of Sano's face, and it hurt, just the first blow and already Sano had heard something crack. This wasn't good.

  


_Second response, try to reason,_ "It really wasn't what it looked like, I mean, I don't even find Jou-chan that attractive."

  


Kenshin's eyes narrowed even further, and Sano immediately regretted saying that, he opened his mouth to try to salvage that last one somehow only to get another blow to the head.

  


"I've forgiven you for a lot of things, Sano," Kenshin started, the tone of his voice alone disturbed Sanosuke, "A _lot_ of things. But what you did to Kaoru-dono, how you hurt her, and then tried to cover it up, and just now in the dojo hallway, when you tried to do it again," A knee to the groin robbed Sano of any breath he would have used to reply, "I won't kill you, after all, I promised I wouldn't any more. But you have no idea how much I'm tempted to kill you right now."

  


_Gee, I can guess. _Sano thought. _Third response: play dead and hope he DOESN'T kill me._ Kenshin didn't say another word, at least not with his mouth. His fists did the talking form there on out. Sanosuke's last conscious thought was, that if he lived through this, he'd never touch another cup of sake again. Ever.

  


* * *

  


Megumi checked the small pocket watch that Dr. Genzai kept in the office. It should be any minute now. As if cued, the door to the clinic opened and Kenshin walked in, dragging, by the collar, an unconscious, bleeding, and beaten to a bloody pulp Sanosuke.

  


Megumi pointed to a cot in the corner of the clinic, "Put him there, that's his usual one." 

  


Kenshin didn't say a word as he practically threw the beaten fighter onto the cot and turned around and left the clinic. Still obviously angry and stressed. Megumi sighed and walked over to the half-dead Sano. Looking down on him, even knowing he couldn't hear a word she said right now, she spoke, "Sanosuke, you really are the biggest dumb-ass I have ever met in my life."

  


Pulling out the small kit of bandages and medical supplies she had labeled 'for use on Sano only', Megumi got to work, patching up her beloved dumb-ass.

  


* * ^_~ * *

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Chapter Four warning: citrusy

Title: An Evil Plan Gone Horribly Wrong

Author: Sephira jo (contact at: sephirajo@yahoo.com)

Archive: With permission only

Part: 4/6 

LEMON WARNING!

Series: Rurouni Kenshin

Rating: R. This version has been edited. . .if you wish to see the unedited version head over to Adultfanfiction.net or Mediaminer.org

Genre: Romantic Comedy/Drama

Pairings: Kenshin/Kaoru, Sano/Megumi

  


Disclaimer: I don't own Kenshin! *sob sob*

  


If you wanted to be notified when I update my fan fiction, I have a mailing list. You can join at: 

  


Author's notes: Heh heh. As I'm starting this chapter there have been at least 20 people saying "Poor Sano." Then admitting that he deserved it. One of the reviewers also noted the use of fists, instead of Kenshin's Sakabatou, and yes that was on purpose. I think it adds something personal to the ass kicking to have your ass beaten by fists as apposed to a weapon. Any way, if your reading this on fanfiction.net know that you are feasting your eyes on the EDITED version of this chapter. The love scenes have been toned down greatly. But, they are still there. If you want to see the unedited version direct your browser to Adultfanfiction.net or Mediaminer.org, which ever works best for you. Now, on with the show.

  
  


* * ^-^ * *

  
  


Kaoru threw some wood into the fire that heated the bath, wishing she was inside to make sure the water was the correct temperature. Normally Kenshin heated her bath water for her, one of the hundred little things he did for her every day. But Kenshin hadn't come back yet, he had run off after lunch, chasing after that bastard Sanosuke.

The heat from the fire caused sweat to soak through her heavy kimono. Kaoru sighed, all that effort to make herself look pretty gone to waste, because Kenshin hadn't stuck around to appreciate it. Sighing, Kaoru entered the bathhouse. The water from the tub was steaming and she smiled in anticipation of a hot bath. With her first genuine smile of the whole day, Kaoru pealed off her layers of clothing. First her obi, then her kimono, then the light white under-kimono she wore beneath it. Free from the constricting clothing Kaoru stretched languidly, the stress of the pervious evening and morning finally easing away.

Kaoru tied up her hair and after settling into the hot bath water allowed herself a long sigh. "Mmm, this feels nice." Kaoru said to herself, slumping down until only her neck and head were above the hot water. Relaxing in the bathtub, she found her thoughts wandering to Kenshin. 

Kaoru giggled to herself. If nothing else, Sano's ludicrous plan had given Kenshin the push he needed to do something about their relationship through picking at his constantly strained control. Her hand wandered to her lips, the fingers lingering for a moment as she remembered the kisses Kenshin had given her.

Kaoru flushed. The water seemed even hotter now, and she wondered offhandedly if she had added too much firewood to the furnace. Not only was Kenshin's reaction to her something she didn't understand, even though she readily admitted to herself that she enjoyed it, but her own reaction to Kenshin was something she was unfamiliar with as well. Although she loved the rurouni deeply, the Kenshin of this afternoon, with eyes glowing like fire, possessive, lustful and caring, spiked something in her own body, and somehow lit an answering fire in her soul. She was sure she had loved him before, she knew that she had enjoyed the small touches she had manage to steal, but this seemed to be something totally different.

Kaoru gasped -- was this lust? The primitive needs that his stare alone invoked couldn't be anything else. She smiled slyly, love and want somehow didn't seem to be so far apart anymore. She really wished Megumi-san hadn't interrupted her and Kenshin in her bedroom, then she wouldn't be sitting here wondering about the fruit of their desire, she would be _experiencing_ it.

A knock at the bathhouse door practically sent Kaoru through the ceiling. Swallowing her shock, she was able to put her voice together enough to speak, "Who's there?!" She shouted, her voice catching on the words. The embarrassment at being caught in the middle of such thoughts turned her redder than the steamy bath water ever could.

"Hey, Ugly!" Yahiko's high-pitched voice responded, "Tae want's me to ask you if it's okay if I work at the Akabeko tonight."

If Kaoru were outside, she would've punched the young boy -- he came back to ask _that_? "Why are you asking me?!" She shouted, voicing her thoughts on the matter.

"Because, Tae said she wouldn't let me stay and work without your permission, UGLY!"

"Good god, Yahiko, JUST GO!" Kaoru yelled, "I don't care how long you stay out, just don't bother me while I'm taking A BATH!" she finished, spitting out the last word. It seemed impossible to get some any privacy? If it wasn't Yahiko, it was Sano, if it wasn't Sano, it was Megumi. Especially after tasting Kenshin's passionate kisses, the idea of some alone-time with her rurouni made her tremble with anticipation.

"Fine, Ugly! And maybe I won't come back tonight!" Yahiko shouted as he stomped away.

Kaoru snorted, that arrangement sounded fine to her. After all, Yahiko had stayed out all night a few times before. And Kaoru had a sneaking suspicion _who_ he had spent those nights with. Her only comfort in that fact was that Yahiko was _way_ too young to know very much about the facts of life. After all, he was only eleven, not old enough at all. "Fine!" She shouted, "Just go!" Yahiko offered no answer and Kaoru knew that he had taken off again. She shook her head. He would be back tomorrow, he always was.

Kaoru smiled, her headache had finally died down, Yahiko was going out for a while, and she didn't have to deal with Sanosuke and his damned plan anymore. At least not until tomorrow. She stood up, the water had started to cool -- she should have put more wood on the fire. Stepping out of the tub, she wrapped a simple purple yukata around herself, not even bothering to dry off. The thin fabric clung to her skin, but at least she felt clean.

Picking up the heavy, sweat-laden kimono and obi, Kaoru left the bathhouse. The cooler outside air hit her instantly, making her feel even more refreshed. She enjoyed the small breeze that worked itself up around her, pushing the fabric of her yukata up. She pressed the fabric back against her skin and suppressed a giggle. Then Kaoru heard a rush of air and looked up, to see nothing but a flash of pink. It slammed into her, picking her up and carrying her with it. Shocked, Kaoru dropped the expensive kimono and obi, and looked into a pair of deep golden eyes. She was suddenly pressed between Kenshin and a dojo wall. Kaoru had no time to collect her thoughts as his mouth came down on hers, kissing her hard and deep.

* * *

Kenshin flexed his hands, shaking off the tenseness that lingered behind from his encounter with Sanosuke in the alleyway. It should have scared him that he had enjoyed punishing the younger man. It should have, but it didn't. It had been enough to soothe his conscience that he had dropped the other man off at the clinic, to the caring, if one could call them that, hands of Megumi. His temper still wasn't calmed however, and there was no way to really relieve it on his short trek back to the dojo. The only calming thought in Kenshin's mind was that he was able to defend _his_ Kaoru from Sanosuke and whatever that bastard had been planing to do to her in the hallway.

_His. His Kaoru_. When had he stared thinking of her as his own, Kenshin wondered. Looking back, he tried to place an exact time, but was unable to do so. Perhaps it had started the first time he laid eyes on her, in the back alleys of Tokyo. Something in her then had called out to him to be protected, to be watched after. And when Gohei had moved to deliver the killing blow that night in the alley, Kenshin had already felt the burning, possessive rage directed at one who would dare hurt someone he had already marked as _his_. The events of the past day had just brought his turbulent emotions, emotions he had tried so hard to bury, to the surface.

Kenshin entered the courtyard of the dojo, his steps heavier and faster than usual, then stopped dead in his tracks at the sight that greeted him. Kaoru was walking out of the bathhouse, the beautiful blue kimono she had been wearing earlier was gone, replaced by a simple purple yukata. It clung to her wet skin, and showed off her curves. Kenshin swallowed, his desire spiked instantly. He did _not_ need this right now. Kaoru had been hurt the night before, had almost been abused again this afternoon, but but Lucid thought left him a second later when a strong breeze blew through the dojo yard, pulling up the thin fabric, showing the smooth, pale skin of her legs.

The snapping of his strained will was almost audible. Without even being fully aware of his actions, Kenshin sprang toward her. Running full speed, he slammed into Kaoru, carrying her with him until they both hit the wall of the dojo. His eyes locked on hers for a moment, then he crushed his mouth to hers, as if he could devour her.

She was still only for a moment then she responded to him. The innocence behind her ardor only served to fire his desire greater and he let his tongue snake out, sliding against her lips, demanding entry. When she opened to him and answered his tongue with her own, he crushed himself even harder against her, pressing her into the wall. Kenshin delighted in the way her lithe body pressed against his. Her pert breasts pressed into his chest, and her legs lifted to encircle his waist. 

Kenshin heard the sound of ripping fabric, only half aware that it he was tearing the light robe off of Kaoru. The purple garment fell to the ground in pieces. His mouth moved away from hers slowly, teasingly, brushing her jaw line, moving down to her chin.

Kaoru was already breathing heavily. Kenshin could feel her chest rising and falling beneath him. And that wasn't the only thing he was aware of. Her wet, freshly bathed skin called to him, its texture and its scent, faintly jasmine spiked with her own arousal, made him crave more. Her skin, her taste, her scent, it was tearing down what little control he had left. His hands roved over her breasts, kneading, caressing, tugging at sensitive flesh as his lips moved to her neck, kissing and nuzzling before he bit down, hard, digging his teeth into the flesh there. He sucked at it, moving over the wound with his tongue. Kaoru gasped and moaned beneath him, responding to his fierceness with abandon, the small sounds she was making driving him toward insanity. 

"Kenshin?" Her voice was a drawn out question, both unsure and demanding. As if she was asking for something that she didn't know how to put into words. Kenshin grinned wickedly, the last of his unvented rage finally finding a suitable outlet: passion. The rurouni part of his mind protested though; do nothing without her permission. The question in her voice could have easily been something else, make sure first. 

Torn between desire and compassion, frustration and caution, need and necessity, but Kenshin somehow found the ability to gather his scattered thoughts together. He lifted her and carried her into the dojo, trying to calm himself down with the pause in their activity. The way her legs were wrapped around his waist and he could feel her against him every time he moved didn't help, but he couldn't make himself put her down when she was finally in his arms, so he stopped moving. Resting her back against an interior wall and trying to ignore the way she was twined around him, he tried another tactic to distract himself from her long enough for him to get the answer to his question.

After several deep breaths he spoke. "Kaoru," he said, his voice hanging on the tones of her name and he felt her shudder in time with the rasp of his breath as he continued, "Do you want this?" _Want me_, he thought. It almost seemed too much, that she would crave him the way he had been craving her. Wholly and completely, he _needed_ her to complete him.

Breathing heavily, nuzzling her neck, he tried to control himself as he waited for her answer. His overpowering desire for her made that nearly impossible. At first he took her silence as a sign of rejection. She had, after all, been victimized just the night before. Kenshin started to pull away, shaking with rage that was now directed at himself, only to be stopped by Kaoru.

Her silence hadn't been rejection. Unable to find words, she had been nodding her head in silent assent. His eyes met hers, and they seemed to have a light of their own in the encroaching shadows of the night. One of Kaoru's small hands reached up and tangled in his hair, the last of the dying daylight playing over her perfect body as she did so.

Kaoru pulled his head closer and answered without words, pulling his mouth to hers. That was all Kenshin needed to cast off the part of him encumbered by doubt. There was no turning back now, not for him. And most definitely not for Kaoru, he would make sure of that. The passionate need in him again burning at full force, he assaulted her mouth. He held nothing back in his claiming of her as his hands roved over her body, his body pressing Kaoru's smaller one into the dojo wall.

In the heat of his intense passion, it never once occurred to him to be gentle. Nor did Kaoru do or say anything to make him think he should do otherwise. Not feeling the need to baby his soon-to-be lover, Kenshin did nothing to hide the fierce need driving him. Without disengaging from Kaoru, indeed it would've been impossible to free himself from her anyway so tightly did she cling to him, Kenshin worked his way out of his hakama, the action causing his gi to fall open. At long last flesh touched flesh, as it was meant to be.

Kenshin lifted Kaoru to meet him using the wall as leverage. He held her against him for a moment, savoring the feeling of his length brushing her warm opening. Bracing Kaoru between him and the wall, Kenshin plunged into her, pulling her down over him in a single swift motion. Distantly, some part of Kenshin's mind registered the feel of something breaking. It almost undid him completely when he realized what it was. Kaoru was trembling, but didn't appear to be in any pain. Her head was buried in his shoulder, her breathing heavy.

Kenshin wrapped his fingers in Kaoru's hair, pulling her head upward so he could look her in the eyes. He loved the expression in those eyes, the passion and bewilderment in the passion, the innocence he was unsure how he missed seeing before. He moved in and out of her fiercely, keeping his amber eyes locked with hers the whole time. "Mine," Kenshin growled, "Not Sano's, not anyone else's, just _mine_," he finished, before taking her mouth with his own once again. Then there was no more need for words between them. 

* * *

Kenshin held Kaoru to him as the wave of sensations tapered off, and the sweet afterglow set in. As the passionate fire slowly faded into soft glowing embers and Kenshin's ability to think logically returned. He narrowed his eyes. Kaoru had been a virgin until just now. A _virgin_. 

Slowly disengaging himself from Kaoru, he set her to stand somewhat shakily in front of him. Without saying a word he offered her his pink gi, wrapping it around her. Without pretense, he retied his hakama in place then took Kaoru's smaller hand, pulling her behind him as he made his way to his room.

"Kenshin?" Kaoru squeaked, her voice a fraction of its normal tone, and still husky from her earlier screaming. "Where are we going?"

Kenshin stopped and looked back at her, his narrowed eyes making the girl start. Kenshin did not enjoy being made a fool of, something he would make sure that Kaoru learned quickly enough. But he didn't want to scare her either, so he had plans to get the information he wanted from her in a much more enjoyable way. His answer was short, "My room. You, Kaoru, have some explaining to do."

Kaoru gulped at the look in his eyes combined with his explanation, but said nothing in return. Kenshin merely guided her by the hand to his room. Once there he sat Kaoru down on the floor and sat down across from her. He locked his gaze on hers, "Now Kaoru, I want to know _exactly_ what happened between you and Sanosuke."

* * *

Kaoru swallowed hard and looked away from Kenshin. It was hard to stare him down when he had such a look in his eyes. Not a violent one, but an intense look that spoke volumes without saying a single word. How could she explain 'The Plan,' as Sano had dubbed it? Something so incredibly stupid couldn't be put into words, could it? Especially not when she still shivered inside from what they had just done, still shuddered in pleasure every time she looked at his body and remembered how he had felt inside her and what he had made her feel.

She pulled the borrowed gi tightly around her, closing it--and the sight of the flesh underneath--to the man before her. Trying to close herself off to him as easily as she did the gi. Kaoru's mind tried to string together a thousand different excuses and explanations that she could pitch toward Kenshin without having to admit to the embarrassing truth of concocting an insane and drunken plan with Sanosuke.

"Kaoru."

She looked up, only to be caught by his eyes. They looked like the eyes of a predator. Violet ringed with gold. Caught in those eyes, she couldn't move, couldn't speak. She could only feel the aftershocks rippling through her body and the renewed wetness between her legs from just looking at him. The only sounds she was able to make was inane babble, dripping from lips that had, somewhere along the line, forgotten how to speak.

"Tell me," he said softly. His demand was simple and absolute. Kenshin moved closer, a single hand reached out for her, reopening the fabric of the gi she had pulled closed just moments earlier. He pulled it off one shoulder in a single, smooth motion, making sure she was aware he would not allow her to put any distance between them.

Kaoru just shook her head. Some things were just too bizarre to say aloud. The only consolation that she had was that, on her end at least, the results of the plan had panned out, even if the plan itself was something that she had wanted no part in.

Kenshin moved closer until he was practically atop of her. Kaoru reflexively tried to move away and stumbled over the loose sleeve of the gi. She fell back, but never hit the hard floor. One of Kenshin's quick arms had reached out underneath her, shielding her from the blow, but also placing him directly above her.

Kaoru swallowed hard as Kenshin stared down at her, his chest bare. She, herself, was only covered by borrowed clothing in an extremely improper situation causing her to blush and stare at his well-muscled chest. The reminder that she had just been caressing that chest caused Kaoru to turn even redder and it occurred to her that she had no more reason to feel shy around this man. But she couldn't stop staring at him as he moved above her, his face stopping close to hers, his lips brushing her cheek.

"Why won't you tell me, Kaoru?" Kenshin drew out, his breath the edge of a whisper. His slight exhalation of breath played in her ear. Her breath caught and, once again, she shook her head. Although, with his body over hers, touching in so many odd places, his hair brushing against her forehead, she almost cracked. But some things were too embarrassing, too insane, so she tried to break away from his gaze.

Kenshin stopped her from looking away with a strong hand holding her chin in place. He didn't seem so much angry as bemused. Kenshin held her firmly in place, his other hand now pinning her shoulder to the ground. "Kaoru, I may be wrong about this, but most people who sleep mostly naked next another person are not virgins when they wake up in the morning." 

Kaoru blushed twenty shades of red at that remark. This interrogation was not welcome at all. She tried in vain to escape Kenshin's grip, the tight hold he kept on her, and his legs straddled over her small waist. Why hadn't she noticed that earlier?

"Kaoru, Koishii, I can get the truth out of you the hard way, if that's how you want it. And I _will_ get the truth out of you." Kenshin's eyes were dancing with golden light and violet shadows, his voice had a lilting tone to it, and Kaoru winced. _The hard way? What does he mean by that?_ She wondered, stopping her struggles for a moment as she looked up at him, confused. Kenshin just grinned and the hand on her shoulder moved, pulling open the gi the rest of the way. Then, without warning, his hand covered one breast, stoking it, his long fingers playing with the nipple that quickly grew hard under such attention.

Kaoru gasped and closed her eyes, her body involuntarily arching, as if it possessed a will of its own. Kenshin shifted his weight so it covered her own better, without straddling her. His other hand was laced in her hair and he pulled at it slightly, forcing Kaoru to open her eyes and be met by his intense gaze.

"Don't close your eyes Koishii, I want you looking at me," Kenshin said softly, his voice seemed like silk to Kaoru, covering her. "Now, tell me, what happened between you and Sano?"

"Nothing," Kaoru said quietly, "Sano didn't do anything to me." She tried to look away, only to be stopped by Kenshin's strong hand holding her head firmly in place.

Kenshin laughed, "I _know_ that, Kaoru," he said, his eyes taking on a strange and dangerous glint. His eyes were no longer full amber, but that didn't make them any less intense, "But the two of you did _something_, and I don t like being left in the dark. So tell me, Kaoru, tell me what the two of you _did_ do."

"No," Kaoru squeaked so quietly that she barely even heard herself answer. But Kenshin heard. His eyes narrowed, his one wandering hand moved lower, stopping for a moment to lightly tickle her stomach. Never once did he let her eyes move from his as his wandering hand drifted lower and slipped between her legs.

Kenshin leaned forward a little more and bit Kaoru's lip, drawing it into his mouth and suckling on it.

He pulled away slowly, his expression smug, "So, Koishii, you've chosen to do this the _hard_ way, haven t you?"

Kaoru flinched. No matter what he did to her, her resolve would be firm. She would not break. She _would not break_. Nothing he could to do her would make her confess to a night of drunken scheming with Sanosuke. Nothing. 

"Tell me." His voice was quiet, silky, sending shivers up her spine that corresponded with the pleasurable waves his caressing fingers sent through her belly. The two sensations mixed together, and something began to build in Kaoru yet again. She recognized the feeling from earlier, but Kenshin's slow, leisurely pace made it almost harder to deal with. Falling back on her vast pool of stubbornness, Kaoru shook her head, the controlled motion almost impossible to make.

His other hand left her tangled hair, traveling downward to move over her chest. It was followed shortly by his mouth, which closed around one tight peak, suckling, nibbling and pulling.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru gasped as her body jerked involuntarily, racked with the sensations he created within her. Kenshin didn't answer, just moved his mouth lower, his teeth nipping at the soft flesh.

Kaoru gasped again, and moaned. "Koishii," Kenshin said, "I can be every bit as stubborn as you, so why don t you just give it up and tell me."

Kaoru began to tremble, the feeling of imminent release one she recognized from their earlier activities. Kaoru heard strange sounds coming from herself, but so focused on Kenshin's attentions that she couldn't place them as noise that _she_ was making. It was when she felt herself ready to tumble over the edge that Kenshin pulled away.

She called out his name, detached from even the sound of her voice, begging him to return to her, needing to finish, needing him, needing more. Kaoru reached out to grasp him, only to touch nothing but air. Of all the things she had been through in her life, this was by far the most painful. To be this close to a shattering completion, and have him pull away from her was killing her.

Kenshin was still close by, he leaned over Kaoru without touching any part of her, "Do you want more, Kaoru?" Kenshin asked, and Kaoru only nodded, unable to find the words to form into coherent sentences. Kenshin smirked, on of his hands brushing stray strands of hair away from her face, that simple gesture setting her skin on fire where his fingers had been. "Then you have to tell me what happened. Tell me_, Koishii_," he finished, his face hovering above hers.

Without thinking, Kaoru shook her head, holding on to the last vestiges of stubbornness, of pride. Her pride became panic as Kenshin moved away, standing up and walking toward the door. Kaoru frantically scrambled to her hands and knees, unable to move her body any more than that.

She reached out, as if she could stop him by just her hand alone, "Kenshin!!" Kaoru screamed, her voice catching on a tangle of emotions, "Don't leave me, please!" 

Kenshin turned around slowly, inches from the door. His face was dark and in the dim light in the room, his eyes seemed to be glowing. To Kaoru they seemed to be lighting the room on their own. "Why should I stay, Kaoru?" he asked, walking a few steps closer. His bare chest was beautiful, Kaoru decided and tried to pull herself closer to him. Kenshin kneeled down and took her chin in his hand, "Why should I stay when you don't trust me enough to tell me what happened between you and Sanosuke?"

"I'll . . ." Kaoru started, the disjointed words tumbling out slowly, her mouth not quite able to form them right.

"You'll what?" Kenshin said quietly. The fingers on her chin caressed her lightly, the sensation robbing Kaoru of what little lucid thought she had left.

"I'll . . . I'll tell . . . just don t leave me, please!" Kaoru begged, taking the hand on her chin in her own, holding it to her as if it was the most precious thing in the world.

Kenshin smiled and lowered himself to his knees in front of Kaoru, moving close to her once again. His look spoke of victory and it stole what little mind Kaoru had left. He spoke, "Good, then you'll tell me after we finish this."

Kaoru nodded vigorously, lacking the ability to even think straight as Kenshin's body once again covered hers and eased her down onto the floor slowly. Kenshin's touch, his lips, his caress was all she knew as he took her with him, freeing her from the madness that he himself had created in her. As he freed them both from the all-consuming need, all Kaoru felt was an immense joy at finally being his. And he was finally hers. _About damn time._

__

Sometime during everything, Kenshin and Kaoru found their way to the futon. Wrapped within the circle of his arms, Kaoru felt safe and more comfortable than she ever had in her life. She snuggled closer and Kenshin's arms grew a little tighter. Kaoru sighed. "I suppose I have to tell you now," she said.

Kenshin laughed softly and held her close, his arm not letting her stray far from him at all, his free hand tangling in her hair. "Yes, I suppose you do, Koishii," Kenshin said, his mirth apparent in his tone.

"I like _that_ so much better," Kaoru murmured, not even aware she was speaking aloud as she gathered her thoughts about her.

"Like what better?"

"Huh?"

"What do you like so much better, _Koishii_?" Kenshin asked, playfully rolling Kaoru underneath him, holding her closely.

"Oh," Kaoru blushed. "Koishii. I like that so much better than," she wrinkled her nose, "Kaoru-_dono_." 

"Oh, really?" Kenshin peppered kisses across her face.

"Really, really," Kaoru laughed, kissing him back. 

Kenshin broke the kiss before it became too passionate and smiled down at her, "No, Koishii, you're not getting off _that_ easily."

Kaoru frowned. "You sure?" she asked, and Kenshin nodded at her, his own lips turning upward in an easy and real smile.

Kaoru let loose a long-suffering sigh. "Okay, I _guess_ I can tell you," she said, a twinkle in her eye, "On one condition."

Kenshin s eyes narrowed slightly and flashed amber. It was apparent he thought that they had been through this before. Kaoru tried to stifle her laughter, "Will you please get off me? You're kinda heavy."

Kenshin's expression changed instantly. He chuckled and rolled off of Kaoru, allowing her to draw a deep breath. Thinking, she tried to get a good place to start her story, a place that wasn't too embarrassing.

* * *

Kaoru told him everything. Kenshin held her in his arms as he listened, not once interrupting her, wanting to hear the whole story of what had happened from start to finish. Slowly he eased Kaoru through the telling of what seemed to be a traumatic tale for her. Kenshin's fingers idly moved through her hair the whole time. When she finished, Kaoru didn't even look him in the face.

Kenshin took Kaoru's smooth chin in one of his hands and made her look up at him. He had to push other thoughts out of his mind, everything about her making him want her yet again. "Kaoru," he said, his voice husky, "is that _all_?"

Kaoru nodded shyly and still refused to look at him, her eyes staring down at the mattress. She was embarrassed, Kenshin realized, and then, unable to help himself he started to chuckle. Kaoru looked up at him at that, her look now slightly more angry than embarrassed.

_"That's_ all?" Unable to help himself Kenshin s quiet chuckle quickly became full-blown laughter.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru shouted, her voice back in full force, "What's so funny?"

"Kaoru," Kenshin breathed, his laughter tapering off, "You practically sent me to hell for a day because you were ashamed to admit to not remembering something you did while drunk! "

Kaoru flushed, but Kenshin noticed this time she had a small smile on her face as well. _His_ Kaoru could never stay upset for long. She shook her head, her hair fluttering around her face, "What do you mean, sent you to hell?"

Kenshin moved close to Kaoru, his hands on her shoulders, moving over her smooth skin, "Koishii, it almost killed me to think Sanosuke had hurt you, used you."

"But he didn't--"

Kenshin put a finger on her lips, silencing her quickly. "I know that now, but let me finish." Kaoru just looked at him, confused. "Also, seeing him with you, thinking that he did those things to you, made me jealous that _he_ got to see you, that _he_ got to touch you . . . "

"You were jealous?" Kaoru asked, her tone conveying her disbelief. Kenshin just smiled softly.

"Yes, I was," Kenshin nuzzled Kaoru's nose, enjoying the new closeness between them. "Insanely jealous."

"You're not angry with me?" Kaoru asked, giggling and snuggling closer.

"No, I m not," Kenshin said softly. "I'm more angry at Sano for hiding liquor in your room than I am in you for confiding in a friend. An _insane_ friend," he added delighting in the sound of her laughter.

"You were _really_ jealous?" Kaoru asked quietly, her tone light, as if she didn't quite believe him.

"Yes," he replied, taking the opportunity to nip at her ear, his desire for her growing again.

Kaoru gasped and giggled softly. "Good, then that stupid plan worked."

"Stupid?" Kenshin whispered, moving his lips down further, to her pale white neck, his hands roving her uncovered body, "Hardly. I'd call it evil, that I would."

"Evil?" Kaoru breathed, taking one of his hands in her own. "And here I thought it was just a stupid plan gone horribly wrong," Kaoru said, kissing his hand, the sensation of her soft, warm lips on his skin caused him to forget everything but her.

"An evil plan, Koishii, an evil plan gone horribly wrong," Kenshin gently corrected, smiling as he lightly grazed her collarbone with his teeth.

Kaoru stopped kissing his hand, but didn't let go. Kenshin really didn't care as his other hand ran lazily up and down her shapely legs, his lips seeking out the flesh of her shoulder and starting to roam even lower.

"Kenshin?" Kaoru asked quietly. Almost too quietly, Kenshin thought.

"Hmm?" 

"Why is there blood on your hand?"

Kenshin stopped, frozen in place as his eyes shot open. _Oh god_. In the soft circle of Kaoru's warm arms he had forgotten. He shot up and looked at the hand she held up from him to see. Yes, there was most definitely dried blood on his hand. And a lot of it. Kenshin went pale and fell back on the word used to get him out of many a tough situation.

"Oro?!"

"There is blood on your hand," Kaoru said, clearly enunciating each word. "Why?" 

Kenshin couldn't think of anything to say. And he just shook his head blankly, feeling numb. He had practically killed his friend, all over a misunderstanding. Kaoru was giving him that look, that look that told him he was in a lot of trouble. "Kaoru-dono," he started, even sounding pathetic to himself.

"Kenshin!" Kaoru interrupted, "Is this _Sano's_ blood on your hand!?" Kenshin just nodded his head, unable to answer out loud. Kaoru glared at him. "So tell me Kenshin," she said, her voice deceptively sweet, sending shivers down his spine, "how did this much of Sanosuke s blood get on your hand?" Kaoru grabbed his other hand, and if the situation was slightly different he would have been ecstatic to have her touching him, even a simple touch of hands. "This hand too! Your knuckles are covered in blood! How did this happen?!' 

Now it was Kenshin's turn to be speechless, to not want to tell. He could feel the flush enter his cheeks and a wave of profound guilt sweeping over him. Apparently he didn't need words to make Kaoru understand what had happened. At his reaction her eyes widened and she looked pale.

"Please Kenshin," She started, her voice desperate, "please tell me you didn't kill him." 

"This unworthy one could never kill a friend, that I couldn't, Kaoru-dono," Kenshin said, his voice quiet. Kaoru visibly relaxed, the tension easing out of her and draining some of Kenshin s own tension from him as well. It was amazing, how her emotions affected his own.

Kaoru smiled softly, serenely, "Even though you thought Sano did horrible things to me, you couldn't kill him." 

Kenshin shook his head and Kaoru touched his face gently. "Good," she said, "because if you ever broke your vow, _I'd_ kill you." Kenshin smiled. He didn't doubt it, not at all.

Kenshin felt himself move into her gentle touch. He relished it, she seemed to be a goddess, come to heal him, to make him whole. When she moved away he looked up, confused. He watched with fascination as she moved to pick up his now wrinkled gi and hakama and handed them to him. He looked up at her, his gaze questioning.

"Get dressed, Kenshin," was all Kaoru said.

"Oro?" he replied.

"You have to go apologize to Sano for nearly killing him for no good reason," Kaoru said, much too sweetly. 

Looking at Kaoru, the way her skin seemed to glow in the evening light, Kenshin didn't want to go anywhere, even to apologize to his best friend for almost killing him. Standing up he moved toward her, placing his hands on her shoulders he tried to comprise, "Koishii," he said, trying to win her over with sweetness of his own as he nuzzled her neck, "can't it wait until tomorrow?" 

The air around Kaoru flared and Kenshin flinched. _Oh shit,_ he thought, knowing his ploy had failed. "Kenshin" Kaoru said slowly, hanging on every syllable of his name, her voice dripping dangerously. 

Kenshin meekly looked up at Kaoru. Her eyes were burning with a temper that was directed at him, "Yes, Kaoru-dono?" he said, his voice squeaking. 

"You think you can sweet-talk _me_ while a friend of ours is lying somewhere half-dead because of a mistake _you_ made?!" She shouted, hitting him in the head with his gi, "Get your ass dressed and go find Sano and apologize!"

"But--"

Kaoru pushed him toward the door to his room and shoved him out, "No buts!" Kaoru said, "I don't want to see you again until you apologize for beating our friend to a bloody pulp!"

"Kaoru-dono," Kenshin started, only to be stopped when his sakabatou flew at him, hitting him in the head and knocked him backwards as his gi and hakama were thrown over him.

"Go apologize, Kenshin!" Kaoru shouted, before he heard the door to his room snap shut, the feminine voice inside swearing loudly at the universal stupidity of all men. Kenshin stood up and dressed himself quickly, shaking his head the whole time. Kaoru was every bit as stubborn as he, and he knew his fiery lover wouldn't let him near her again until she was sure he had apologized. 

Kenshin flinched. _If Sanosuke even accepts my apology_, he thought. Guilt once again rose to the surface. That and a total befuddlement at how he could have misread Kaoru's signs so completely. With a final sigh of defeat, Kenshin attached the sakabatou to the tie of his hakama and started toward the clinic, hoping that Sano would accept his humble, and sincere, apologies for the unjust beating he had delivered.

  


* * ^-~ * *

  
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Chapter Five

Title: An Evil Plan Gone Horribly Wrong

Author: Sephira jo (contact at: sephirajo@yahoo.com)

Archive: With permission only

Part: 5/6 

Series: Rurouni Kenshin

Rating: R (no lemon . . . sano's way to hurt to get any nookie . . . I mean really people!)

Genre: Romantic Comedy/Drama

Pairings: Kenshin/Kaoru, Sano/Megumi

Disclaimer: I don't own Kenshin! *sob sob*

If you wanted to be notified when I update my fan fiction, I have a mailing list. You can join at:

  


  


Author's Notes: I hope everyone's enjoying this fic. I know that I've enjoyed writing it so far. . .but it *is* almost done. It's been a fun ride, esp. since this is my first real Kenshin fic. So keep reviewing (I want at least 200 reviews! LOL) Any way, I mean it. I hoped you all keep liking this fic, after this there's only an epilog, and then: closing the book on AEP. I'm not much for sequels. . .but maybe a ton of reviews could sway me like a branch in the wind. You never know. Anyway, enjoy damnit!

  


* * ^-^ * *

  


Pain. Pain was the sensation that drug Sanosuke out of the world of blissful unconsciousness into the bleak, and hurting, world of the living. He groaned and tried to move, only to be stopped by the wild protestation of his muscles, still too sore to want to answer any commands of his mind.

  


He opened his eyes, well, at _least_ those were working. Kind of, anyway. The world was a blurring mass of color, which made his stomach turn. _Where am I_? Sano wondered, not having any memory of how he came to be wherever he was. He shifted again, to the chagrin of his battered body. He felt like he had wrestled a bear, a lion, and Saitou, and had his ass handed to him. But the place where he was felt familiar somehow. He wasn't on a futon in his rundown shack. He could tell because he couldn't feel the permanent breeze over him. The ceiling here looked awfully familiar as well. Like something he had spent hours staring at before.

  


_The clinic_! The epiphany that struck caused his head to ache even more, if that was possible, it could have just been aftershocks to other pangs that riddled his broken body. Now there was only the issue of what the hell he had done to end up in so much pain. His whole memory on this near-death thing was eluding his shaking grasp at the moment. This was so much worse then his normal 'beat-n-treat' that he used to get close to the Fox Doctor.

  


_Megumi_. Another sudden understanding racked Sano's abused cranial cavity. Somehow, this time, his being here was directly related to something else. He had planned to get her what was it? The hammer pounding away at his brain made it impossible for him to remember, but for some reason he seemed to have developed a sudden fear of the colors fuchsia and amber.

  


Sano tried to turn his head at the sound of approaching footsteps, but the massive amounts of bandages about his neck, head and shoulders made the action all but impossible. He only received a blurry image of the person moving up next to him. Sano tensed and flinched reflexively, those actions radiating new pangs down his body, before the image blurred into a comforting one: Megumi. 

  


She reached out and placed a cool hand on his aching forehead and Sano wished he could lean into the easy brush of those smooth fingers. If he wasn't in so much pain, her touch alone would have put him in heaven. Hell, he could be dead for all he knew, but could one feel so much pain in heaven?

  


"You're awake," Megumi said, her voice was sounded far off like he was listening through a rice paper wall.

  


Sano couldn't answer with sound, so he nodded the best he could, that effort alone almost enough to send him spiraling back into the blackness of oblivion.

"How are you feeling?" She asked. Sano gave her the driest look he could manage without passing out. Megumi laughed softly, "Sorry, that was a dumb question, wasn't it?" Sano would have nodded again, had the bandages around his head allowed it. Megumi smiled, a gesture that did more for him than any medicine she could concoct. "You're in pretty bad shape this time, you dumbass," she said gently, sitting down on a western-style chair she had pulled next to the cot. Vaguely, Sanosuke heard the sounds of stirring and mixing. She moved over him, and he could make out her smiling face, "I've just mixed some medicine for you, if you like," she finished quietly. 

  


Sanosuke shook his head, drugs were not something he wanted. He didn't need to mess up his head some more.

  


"You sure?" Megumi asked, her hands wandering to adjust bandages shrugged loose by his movement, "It's morphine, it will help ease the pain."

  


"No no drugs," he managed to rasp out, surprised that he had any voice left with which to form words.

  


Megumi sighed, "Sano, whatever am I going to do with you?" she placed her hand on her forehead in a gesture of mock-annoyance, "What do you expect me to do for you if you won't take any medicine, kiss you better?"

  


"That that would be nice."

  


Megumi stared at him blankly before laughing softly, "Honestly, I don't think you could handle that right now. Now, will you be a good boy and take your medicine, or do I have to force you too?" 

  


When he thought about it, Sano realized he really wasn't in the position to argue with the doctor. Battered, half-dead and in a world of pain he mentally conceded that the strong drug Megumi was offering would do some good and let him wander back off to sleep and try to remember what he had done to end up here _this_ time.

  


He inclined his head to indicate that he would indeed be a 'good boy' for Megumi and take the medicine. Moving slowly, she inclined his head enough to allow him to drink the bitter mixture of hot water and Morphine powder, feeling the effects of the strong painkiller immediately. "I still would've preferred you kiss me better, Fox," he thought aloud, not even aware he spoke as the velvet veil of sleep drifted over him, the image of a smiling Megumi imprinted on his mind.

  


* * *

  


_I still would've preferred you kiss me better, Fox_. 

  


Megumi smiled, a faint blush staining her cheeks. If he had the energy to enjoy it she might have indeed kissed him better. Kissed it all away. As it was, she was surprised that most of the damage was superficial. There were no broken bones, no ruptured organs. She had half-expected Kenshin to kill her ex-fighter for hire, and was more than a little surprised that, except for massive bruising and a mild concussion, he was still in one piece.

  


The medicine had taken effect on Sanosuke, allowing him to drift off into a sleep, a sleep that Megumi had to keep a close eye on due to his head injury. With him resting, Megumi checked the bandages, changing some. A couple of the wounds needed a little more stitching to help them close up all the way. She stood up, stretching slightly. It was late evening already, but Sano's state of being assured that she would get little to no sleep that night.

  


_But,_ she thought, _at least he's here, with me, and not with someone else_. Megumi smiled slyly, the guarantee that he couldn't storm off after one of their shouting matches made the whole situation worth it to her. Right now, she could say whatever she wanted to him and he wouldn't be able to even turn in the opposite direction. A captive Sanosuke. The daydream had always had appealed, and Megumi was more than a little amused that it had actually come to pass. 

  


She was humming a happy tune to herself as she fetched the needle and thread for the last few stitches that would patch him up the rest of the way. Megumi moved back to her chair at the side of the cot and sat down, running the needle through the candle flame quickly to clean it before use. Sano's deep and even breathing didn't even falter as Megumi easily ran the needle through his wounded flesh as easily as she would fix a tear in a kimono. The morphine would keep the worst of this pain from reaching him, allowing him a peaceful rest under her loving eyes.

_Love_. It seemed impossible that she'd ever find it. Not so long ago, while under the iron grip of Kanryu, it _was_ an impossible dream. After her experience with the crime lord who robbed her of so much more than her innocence she had vowed to never let another get close to her again, in fear of being hurt again. Men in general seemed to always have so much power over her. It had been a man's war that had robbed her of her family, it had been a man's ambition that had held her captive, a slave for more than just the illegal pharmaceuticals she had helped to make.

  


_Back then, all I wanted was death,_ Megumi thought. She had been ready, ready to lie down and die in redemption for her sins. But _he_ of all people had stopped her. And that had puzzled her. Of all people, at that time Sanosuke had more of a reason to wish her dead than anyone. It was by her hand, albeit indirectly, that a good friend of his had passed into the void. Not only Sano's friend, but countless others as well. In the end, the only thing that kept her sane, that kept her going on with this life was knowing that somehow, he had come to accept her. And now.

  


Megumi shook her head, the feats of stupidity he preformed for her on an almost daily basis were, for lack of a better word, flattering. Of course, this easily took the prize. Of all the things Sanosuke seemed willing to pull to grasp her affection, taunting a retired hitokiri seemed a stretch, even for him. But that was Sanosuke, always surprising her somehow, and befuddling her always.

  


Megumi started at the sound of the door to the clinic opening. Casting a quick glance back at Sanosuke, Megumi smiled and made her way to the front of the clinic, making ready for just about anything; Tokyo had more than its share of strange cases. "Can I help you?" Megumi started casually, her voice even and calm. Then she saw who stood in the entryway. Kenshin.

The ruouni's gaze seemed to be glued to the floor beneath them. Well, he knew. Good, it saved her the trouble of having to explain everything to a still irate Kenshin. But at the same time, it promised a Kenshin guilt trip unlike any other. All this being the case, he was most likely here to apologize. Megumi had to bite her cheek to keep from laughing, she was most likely the only one who found this whole situation funny.

"Ken-san," Megumi said, easily and calmly, "How can I help you?"

  


"Megumi-dono," He answered, his voice seemed sedated and Megumi felt a wave of pity for Kenshin wash over her. The news that he had been so blatantly mistaken could not have been easy for him to take. "May this unworthy one see Sanosuke, there's something that needs to be said."

  


"Yes you may, in fact, he's right where you left him," Megumi said, her nature making it impossible not to tease just a little. Kenshin flinched, Megumi shook her head slightly and again found herself fighting back soft laughter. Turning around Megumi led the way to the recovery room. Megumi entered first, and started when her gaze hit the cot where Sanosuke had been laid. It was empty.

  


"Huh" Megumi breathed, "That's new."

  


Kenshin came to a short stop behind her. His eyes also on the empty line of cots. "Oro?" 

  


Megumi sighed, "It appears my most frequent patient has left. Amazing, considering the condition you left him in," Megumi said, placing a hand on her temple warding off the headache that was bound to arise from this, she could feel the tension building already, "But then again, he always has been remarkably _stupid_," she finished.

  


"Do you have any idea where he might have gone?" Kenshin asked, "This unworthy one needs to see him to-"

  


"Apologize?" Megumi finished easily. Damn, why did the damn redhead have to have guilt trips over every little thing. It wouldn't surprise her if he apologized around the dojo for stepping on spiders. "Don't worry about it, Ken-san, it wasn't your fault. If anyone was to blame here, it's Sanosuke. It was, after all, his idea, wasn't it?"

  


"How do you know that?"

  


"Kaoru's way to smart to come up with anything this bizarre and so obviously stupid. Kaoru is also way too honest to want to. Sanosuke on the other hand," Megumi shrugged, "he's done things like this before."

  


Kenshin's shoulders seemed to drop. Megumi smiled, "Ken-san, don't worry, I'll deliver your message. At least he listens to me. Sometimes anyway," She amended quickly. Kenshin nodded slowly, it was obvious he had wanted to deliver the apology in person, but with Sano gone missing in her own clinic, what could be done? 

  


No more words passed between them until they reached the door of the clinic. Kenshin bowed stiffly to her then, "Thank you, Megumi-dono," he said.

  


"Don't worry about it. Remember, it's not your fault, and if that little tanuki doesn't believe you send _her_ to talk to _me_," Megumi said, then watched Kenshin leave, his form quickly disappearing into the evening. All things considered, Megumi was glad that Kenshin didn't care for her _that_ way. His constant apologizing for _everything_ would get on her nerves real fast. Of course, Sanosuke also managed to press all the wrong buttons as well.

  


Sanosuke. Finally allowing herself laughter, Megumi shook her head and smiled, heading back to the small recovery room. As tough as he made himself out to be, Megumi knew that Sanosuke couldn't have gotten far at all.

  


* * *

  


It was his voice that brought back the memories. The alley. The confrontation. Getting his head handed to him quickly and swiftly. It all came back when he heard Kenshin at the door of the clinic. Sanosuke's first panicked thought was that the rurouni was back for more. _Like hell I'm going to take that a second time_! Sano thought, and with strength that he didn't know he had left, he had flopped off the cot and rolled under it. Taking the only method he had right now to hide himself from Kenshin: hiding under the bed. It seemed childish somehow, but right now, Sanosuke didn't care.

  


When he overheard that Kenshin was there to apologize however, he couldn't seem to make it out from underneath his hiding place. Other than one wayward arm that waved back and forth trying to catch attention, for some reason his voice was still not cooperating with him. No one noticed the arm, and Megumi kept insulting him. Although, looking back on the results "The Plan" had been really dumb, but most plots concocted over saké normally were.

  


Footsteps entered the room, this time only one set of them, and made their way to his cot. He looked out from underneath to be greeted by the face of Megumi. Her unbound ebony hair falling around her face like a wave, her dark eyes, and everything else about her made her beautiful.

  


"Okay you," She started, "out of there and back on the cot."

  


Sanosuke shook his head, dumbfounded to the point that he didn't know what he was disagreeing to. Megumi just had that effect on him.

  


Megumi laughed, and even though it was directed at him, he loved the sound. But then again, when had her laughter ever been directed elsewhere? "I sent Ken-san away, so it's safe now. So get out from under there, you idiot."

  


"No," He said, this time able to find his voice. His reward was watching Megumi's cheeks puff up and she moved in closer. When she was in arms reach he struck, looking beyond the pain in his chest and arms he reached out and grabbed her, pulling her underneath the cot with him, to fast for her to break away. Even through the bandages, through the pain, the feeling of Megumi in his arms was pure heaven.

  


"Sanosuke," She started her tone thick with reproach.

  


"Shhh."

  


"Why?"

  


"I have a headache, and your voice hurts." He said, pulling her in a little closer.

  


"You know just what _not_ to say to women, don't you?"

  


"I try."

  


"I bet. But that doesn't change the fact I don't want to be on the floor, underneath a cot."

  


"Why not?"

  


"Because it's getting my clothes dirty."

  


"So? You can always just take them off, problem solved," he said, the image of Megumi naked stirring his body a bit, before his body reminded him just how badly injured it was.

  


"You would just _love_ that, wouldn't you?" Megumi answered, but didn't, for once, move away.

  


"Yes, and so would you."

  


"You wish."

  


"I know."

  


She laughed and moved against him. It would've been the greatest thing on earth had she not brushed one of his many open wounds. Sanosuke flinched and tensed and Megumi sighed. "You know, if you hadn't been so stupid to get yourself like this, I might have done what you wanted."

  


"Really?"

  


"No. I just thought might make you feel a little better about getting beaten to a bloody pulp by one of our best friends."

  


"Oh," he said, dejected and let go of Megumi. Oddly though she didn't move away from him. He looked at her and caught the weirdest expression on her face. It stayed for a minute, and then she burst out laughing.

  


"What?"

  


"You're so stupid sometimes," was all she said, as she started to work her way out from under the cot, taking his arm and pulling him with her. Sano's muscles screamed in protest, but he made no move to stop her.

  


"Huh?" He asked, as Megumi helped him up and back onto the cot, before sitting down next to him. Smiling she shook her head, a hand in front of her mouth as she laughed softly. "What's so funny?"

  


Megumi gave him one of _those_ looks. The one that said that he should know exactly what she found so damnably amusing. Sanosuke's brows pressed together, sometimes --no all the time-- women were impossible to understand. And the results of those misunderstandings could be some of the most painful things around. His present state proved it. Here he was, wrapped like a leper, in more pain that he'd been in a very long time and Megumi laughing at him for a reason he couldn't figure out _at all_. _Well,_ he thought,_ At least she's sitting next to me on the cot, that's nice. No, it's more than nice damnit, why did I have to go and get myself half killed!_

  


Sanosuke's train of thought was derailed quickly and easily when and dissolved into a fiery wreck when Megumi leaned over and kissed his un-bandaged cheek. His mind was still spinning a moment later when she pulled away, a slight and very becoming blush staining her cheeks. She seemed to be waiting for him to say something, but nothing came to mind and a moment passed, and then another. Megumi's face underwent the all to familiar transformation from contentment to slight annoyance to full-blown anger.

  


"You idiot! You just don't get it do you? Does _anything_ get through that thick skull of yours?!" Megumi exploded, even her voice couldn't break Sanosuke's stupor. And as Megumi turned around and stormed out, Sanosuke had it in his mind to follow her, but his body wouldn't go through the motions. All of a sudden the room seemed to spin unrelentingly; mercilessly it threw him back onto the hard cot leaving him staring at the ceiling, more than half convinced that what had just transpired was a trick of the head injury mixed with his own fantasy. When all was said and done, was there really any way a well-bred, educated woman would want anything to do with him? Sanosuke, the ex-fighter for higher? Unable to help it, his world spiraled into blackness, taking his doubts and his short-lived triumph with him.

  


* * *

  


Megumi slammed the door to her small office, certain that she must have shattered it, and more than a little surprised to see the sturdy thing in one piece. Although she had long ago reached the conclusion that all men were put upon this earth for the annoyance of women, it was proven yet again that Sagara Sanosuke was the most awful, stupid, dense and annoying man of them all. And she loved him.

  


Megumi swore uncharacteristically and slammed her fists into her desk, her hands stinging with the aftermath of the powerful blow. What wore on her even more was the fact that it was her fault as well if he didn't understand. On a very deep level she knew that not being able to express herself truly with words played a large part in the simple Sano's not understanding. Her angry energy gone, Megumi sank to the floor, her eyes locked listlessly on the pale ceiling above her.

  


It shouldn't be so hard just to say something with words, but Megumi had spent so long building around herself a prison of wit and cynicism that it was impossible for her to use words for anything else. At first, it had been for her own protection, if she could hide how she was feeling, _he_ couldn't hurt her soul, regardless of what he did to her body. Soon after, the actions followed. She could almost pinpoint the exact moment. It had taken all of fifteen minutes for Megumi to change from an open, warmhearted girl to a cold, cynical and aloof woman. Fifteen minutes of hell had changed her life forever. 

  


Then Sanosuke had shown up. At first, she was sure he hated her, for what she had done, what she had been, and that had been easy to believe. In fact, she had _wanted_ to believe that. It was easier to accept hatred from people than it was to accept the friendship that was offered so freely by Kenshin and Kaoru. And even that was easier to understand than love. But in the end, her mind, her damnably smart mind had seen what she would keep even hidden from herself. That below the layers, below their differences, she and Sanosuke were the same.

  


Both she and Sanosuke had lost what family they had to the bakamatsu. Both had been haunted by that past, Megumi was sure Sanosuke must still think of it daily, she knew that for herself a day didn't pass where she didn't remember her half-dazed walk from Aizu, tears streaming down her face. Both of them had learned quickly the harsh realities of life. Megumi having been sucked in by Kanryu, and Sanosuke quickly becoming a tough for-hire street fighter. And below the cocky attitude they both showed to the world around them, for a long time they both knew that all they were was unbearably lonely. And then, one day they had each other, only to find that because of what they were, what they had been, that with a cruel twist of fate, neither could admit to each other how they felt. So they had ended up in this bizarre dance of give and take, right next to each other, but far away. Tears welled up, falling one after another down Megumi's face.

  


"I'm such an idiot," she whispered, her voice catching on her misery, "I'm just as stupid as he is."

  


"Even if you are, at least _you're_ in one piece."

  


Megumi started, shocked. Looking up she met Sanosuke's eyes. The bandaged man looked down at her as he stood in the door way and for once, Megumi was speechless.

  


"Me," he continued easily, "I think I left my spleen back in that alley somewhere. And my brain well, that's long gone. And even if my mind was playing tricks on me a few moments ago, which is very possible, I'm also missing my heart," he moved forward stiffly, almost stumbling before he caught himself somehow, "but at least I know where that is. You stole it from me, almost the first moment I saw you," somehow, Sanosuke managed to maneuver his battered body to its knees to sit in front of her. Through her haze of tears, Megumi could make out his countenance, normally smug, now soft, his eyes understanding.

"But I couldn't tell you," he continued, "So let's get one thing straight here, Fox Lady," he said, and pointed his thumb stubbornly at himself, "_I'm_ the idiot here. You're just stubborn." Megumi gave him a dry look which he ignored as he continued. "You've obviously been madly in love with me a long time, but didn't say anything, leaving me to suffer like this," he finished, over dramatically, Megumi thought, but she found herself smiling anyway, unable to help it.

  


"Stupid," Megumi said quietly, surprised that her voice was staying even with the raging storm her emotions were going through, "It's your own fault you're suffering. How did you even manage to make it in here?"

  


"You'd be surprised how well I can push myself when I have to tell a stubborn fox that I love her."

  


Megumi shook her head, feeling warm from head to toe at the admission. She tried to work her own mouth to answer, but nothing came out.

  


"You don't have to have to say it if you can't," Sanosuke started, and Megumi almost mistook him for being sweet and understanding, until he finished, "I _know_ you love me."

  


Megumi snorted, although she couldn't stop the blush that came to her face.

"Hey, _you're_ the one that kissed _me_," Sano pointed out.

  


"Oh, did I now? Are you sure you weren't dreaming?"

  


Sano shook his head with the ease of one use to being bandaged, "I'm sure. I can still feel it."

  


Megumi looked away quickly, and the next thing she knew, Sanosuke had his arms around her, and had managed to pull her close. He was warm, and although obviously built well, the usual panic at a man's embrace failed to arise. Instead she felt oddly safe. Without thinking her own arms found their way over his back, and around him, and somehow her face became buried in the crook of his shoulder.

  


"If you can't say anything right now Megumi, I understand," He said, his breath brushing against her hair, a stray bandage tickling her neck. "I can wait as long as it takes for you to love me back."

  


Megumi started, her heart thundering in her chest she tried to swallow her fear at admitting her emotions. It was unfair, after all, to just leave him with that and not say anything. Pushing aside her fear was easier than she thought it would be, it was biting down on her pride that was hard. She took a deep calming breath. "Stupid," she said, "I love you already. You don't have to wait anymore. If you did, you'd be likely to get yourself killed anyway."

  


Sanosuke chuckled, "Yeah, most likely," he agreed, "but at least I have my own doctor to patch me up when I decide to court death."

Megumi smiled, and looked up, wanting to see his eyes for some reason that made no sense to her. Before she was aware of what was happening, Sanosuke lowered his mouth to hers, catching her lips in a kiss. The kiss was warm, loving, the perfect balance between taking and asking, and Megumi couldn't help but to respond to it.

  


She was surprised however, when Sano pulled away with a groan. Megumi gave him a curious look, "What's wrong?"

  


"I really wish I hadn't gotten myself beat so bad, because right now there are a million things I want to do to you that I my body's saying 'no' to," he answered, and Megumi had to suppress the urge to deck him.

  


"Well really, what did you think would happen, taunting Kenshin like that?" She asked dryly.

  


"I hoped that you'd realize you were madly in love with me and Kenshin would finally get off his ass and realize how madly in love with Jou-chan he is. Why, did it work?"

"I don't know," Megumi started, a sly grin on her face, "I _knew_ I was madly in love with you. All your plan made me realize was that you were a desperate fool."

  


"May this desperate fool ask you a favor?"

  


"Maybe."

  


"Can we find a futon or something? I feel like I've been run over by one of those damned western train-things, and If I don't lay down soon, I'm gonna pass out."

  


"That's all you want to do with me? Just lay down and pass out?"

  


"Fox Lady, as much as I want to, I don't have the strength for anything else right now."

  


"Oh well," Megumi sighed, then grinned evilly, "There's always tomorrow."

"Don't tempt me."

  


"And if you can't, there's always Ken-san."

  


"That's not funny."

  


Megumi laughed and helped them up and to the back room where she kept a futon folded for nights that she had to stay to late at the clinic to head home. "You're so gullible," She said, as she eased him down on the spread out futon and joined him there, giving him a quick peck on the nose, "I love you."

  


"Me too," He murmured as Megumi moved in closer, pulling a blanket over them, "Me too," he repeated as she snuggled closer, and together the two of them drifted off to a comfortable, for _her_ any way, who could say for the battered and bruised Sanosuke, sleep.

  


* * ^-~ * *

  
  
  



	6. Chapter Six

Title: An Evil Plan Gone Horribly Wrong

Author: Sephira jo (contact at: )

Archive: With permission only

Part: 6/6

Series: Rurouni Kenshin

Rating: PG for this chapter

Genre: Romantic Comedy/Drama

Pairings: Kenshin/Kaoru, Sano/Megumi

Disclaimer: I'll say it once, and I'll say it again, I don't own the damn show.

Author's Notes: Sorry this took so damn long. It's only an epilogue though, and honestly, during the time it took to write this I lost my job, my dog died, been being hounded for money, and harassed by my mom. Please don't hate me for how long it took or the fact that there isn't any dirty bad fun in this chapter. I've really loved writing it, my only regret is the last part took so damn long to finish. Hope 'ya all forgive me. On with the epilogue! The end is here! Oh yeah, I consider the last Kenshin OVA to be a work of AU (but dramatic and good AU at that), so I don't follow that, sowwwy.

* * *

Kenji, with all the grace and poise of a three-year-old version of his father, ran straight into the dojo's wall. Unfazed, the small boy picked himself up, shook off and ran off in the other direction laughing madly. Kaoru would've given chase, if she wasn't seven months pregnant. Besides, she had gotten used to her son's interesting personality a long time ago.

_Speaking of the son, the father should be home soon_, Kaoru thought happily, her gaze moving to the gate of her home and school. The students, though not many, had left earlier, which always seemed to be the cue for her husband to return home. Not long before Kenji was born he had been convinced to take a by assignment job from the police department. After the initial, and prolonged, conflict with Saitou Hajime, Kenshin found he actually enjoyed the work. And though he'd never admit, Kaoru suspected that the two former rivals had developed some sort of odd friendship based entirely on insults.

The gate opened. After years, Kaoru's ears had become attuned to its sound, though Megumi blamed psychosis, Kaoru _knew_ she could hear the gate. And proving her right a second later was Kenshin's voice calling out the daily, and welcome, phrase of, "I'm home."

"Welcome back!" Kaoru and Kenji called out at the same time, though the un-pregnant child beat Kaoru to Kenshin easily.

Kenshin smiled simply, picking the jumping child up and holding him in his arms. In that moment Kaoru smiled, a warm joy spreading through her. If possible, he grew even more handsome daily.

Kenshin caught her eyes on him, and a more heated and private look passed between the two, along with a smile. The moment was quickly broken when Kenji started to pull on his fathers face, but both knew it could be easily resumed later. Who could be angry at such a cute interruption? And one so much like the father.

"How was your day?" Kaoru asked, finally making it over to her husband.

"Fine, you?" Kenshin asked, but he could hardly be understood with his son still pulling on his face. Kaoru laughed softly and took the squirming child and held him. He wasn't a heavy bundle at all, just an overactive one.

"Today was good," Kaoru said simply, "We're going right?" she asked, a hint of excitement in her voice.

Kenshin looked perplexed for a moment, "I don't know," he started, trying to sound serious, but there was a playful undertone to his voice that Kaoru knew all too well, "This unworthy one is _very_ tired, and Kenji is _very _hyperactive, it might be best if we stayed home, that it would."

Kaoru's cheeks puffed out, he was always so... so evil! And here, it had been her own 'evilness' plus that of another that had brought them together. Little had she known at the time that the _real_ evil one had been her soon to be husband, "How can you say that!? Sanosuke comes back from wherever the hell he ran of too, was it America? And he's _finally_ getting off his ass and marrying Megumi-san, and you spout tiredness and a _your_ son's normal behavior as an excuse for not going?"

"Oro?" Kenshin loosed his all purpose phrase. This time the meaning was _What did I say?_ When he got that vacant look on his face Kaoru could never stare him down seriously. And that may have been his plan the entire time.

Kaoru sighed, defeated, "Sometimes, I swear, I hate you."

Kenshin just smiled, Kenji pulled at her hair. "As soon as this unworthy one bathes, we can go," Kenshin said, his voice had a hint of laughter in it, and he reached out and touched Kaoru's cheek lightly, "It is at the Akabeko, right?"

"Yeah, Tae-san said something about putting it on his tab. Which should be even worse by now, if she's been adding interest while he was gone, like she threatened to."

Kenshin chuckled. Kaoru smiled. Kenji seemed extremely fascinated by the neckline of Kaoru's kimono. For a quiet moment they painted a standard domestic picture. Then Kenshin spoke up, breaking the silence, "Then I suppose we'd better get ready then, that we should, huh?"

"Yep, I guess we should." Kaoru smiled as their son squirmed in her arms, trying to reach a butterfly that was flying by.

* * *

Sano was a nervous wreck. _And here I always thought it was the bride's job to be this nervous,_ he thought quizzically, _so why is Megumi so calm? It just doesn't seem right. Nope, not right at all, and I'm going to go tell her that, right now!_ Sano thought, and managed to walk to the door of the 'room' he was borrowing as a dressing room before stopping, a devilish grin lighting his face.

_Wedding kimono are really complicated,_ Sano thought, _which means that Megumi is in the process of changing. Which means, I might get to see her naked!_ Grinning from ear Sano snuck like a young boy, which is to say not very good at all, towards the room Megumi was using for dressing.

"Oops!" Sano shouted out happily, expecting a feminine scream and the sight of the white curvy flesh that had been lost to him on his 'vacation.' He flung the door open with his shout and looked, only to see that Megumi was fully dressed and looking at him like he was an idiot. His expression became that of a wounded puppy. _I really wanted to see her. Not fair!_

Megumi just shook her head, and walked over to him slowly, the heavy garment half the reason for her slow motions, but in it, Megumi looked like the goddess her name implied. The crimson, silver and gold garment brought out the paleness of her skin, the dark black that was her hair. He still stood struck, he could imagine it falling open in just the right tempting places, over the shoulder, down the neck line.

"Speechless, huh?" Megumi smiled evilly, "I think I like that, you're a lot easier to deal with when you don't talk."

Sano just nodded dumbly, unable to think of any swift comeback as she stood in front of him, her large dark eyes shining. Her words were always harsh, but the meaning behind them had been the same for the past four years. Megumi laughed and Sano still stood in his stupor.

"You traveled abroad," Megumi said simply, "I think you know that some countries consider seeing the bride before the wedding bad luck."

"Uh-huh," Sano said nodding.

"So," her voice was sly, her hands found her way to his chest. Sano wasn't thinking of much else, "You know you shouldn't be here, right?"

"Uh-huh."

"Good," Megumi's evil grin intensified and with a glib action, she pushed him backwards out of the room, "Go be nervous somewhere else. I actually have to look good, you just have to stand there."

Sanosuke landed on the floor outside the doorway, Megumi looked down at him with a sweet grin on her face. Which, in its own right was very scary. It seemed to say _you'll get yours later, dear._ Sano responded with a stupid grin of his own, in this way, they had spoken without words since he had returned.

He stood up, brushing off the formal clothing, wishing fervently for his normal vest and pants, but Megumi would hear of it. So there he was stuck in a men's formal kimono, brushing the dust of rejection off of his rear end when he heard a familiar snicker behind him.

"This unworthy one thinks you have a death wish, that he does," said Kenshin. The swordsman stood off to his left, in his arms a wide eyed Kenji, who had been one of the many surprises that had greeted him on his recent return from overseas.

It had been the final forgiveness for the transgression that had got Kenshin and Kaoru together in the first place. Sano grinned and stood up, "Oh, you know I do. What's life without a little danger anyway?" He quipped easily, patting Kenji on the head, the three-year-old still wasn't sure what to make for the giant ex-mercenary and just stared at him, while burying his face into Kenshin's gi.

"A lot safer, especially for you," Came a voice walking up behind Kenshin. Kaoru smiled and thrust a small finger at the large fighter, "Then again, you're marrying Megumi-san today. You'll never be safe again, you pointy haired moron. Are you sure today isn't your funeral instead? Any more stunts like before, and I'm sure we'll find you're bones in some western medicine school somewhere."

"Look whose talking," Sano returned, "I feel sorry for anyone who has to spend the rest of their life tied to _you_. Poor Kenshin, spending his life with a woman who can't even boil rice correctly and beats people about the head and shoulders with shinai for the slightest mistake," Sano grinned at Kenshin, who now had a blank 'oro' look on his face, "I'm surprised your still alive buddy, I _knew_ I should've taken you with me. Some time away from the shrew here would've done ya good, but now she has ya all tied down with these kid things," He finished laughing, and gesturing to Kenji, then to Kaoru's swollen belly.

"I'll show you shrewish, you... you... chicken headed idiot!" Kaoru puffed, her eyes burning with anger.

"Kaoru-dono...." Kenshin made a half hearted gesture to stop his wife, and Kenji, familiar with the coming storm he had seen unleashed on various students of his mother, buried his head deeper into the one safe place in the world: his father's gi.

Brandishing a shinai that seemed to come from nowhere, Kaoru, stomach sticking out and kimono clad started advancing on Sanosuke, who kept his hands in front of him, like a peace offering.

"Ya know, you shouldn't be going after me right now. I saw Yahiko down making doe-eyes at Tsubame, with the age those kids are at, who knows what they could be doing right now! So, why don't ya put down the stick like a nice shrew and I'll forgiv-" Sano never got a chance to finish his plea, as Kaoru brought the shinai down upon his thick skull in quick rain of blows.

"Oh dear," the silky feminine voice that was Megumi intoned smoothly as she viewed the carnage that was a pregnant Kaoru beating on her bridegroom. "Kaoru-chan, you shouldn't be doing something so strenuous right now, should she Ken-san?" Even on her wedding day, Megumi couldn't resist flirting with the married redhead who just shook his head, Kaoru suspected that he was somehow used to the chaos that unfolded around him now.

"Why doesn't she ask about me?" the wavering voice of the beaten Sano filtered up from the corner, "Why doesn't Megumi ask how I'm doing?"

"Because," Megumi said, without looking down, "We all know your head is way to thick to take any damage from that beating."

"I'm so unloved..."

"Nonsense, I'm going through with this wedding all for you."

Whatever other bickering might have started was prematurely stopped when Tae, Tsubame and Yahiko made their way to the crowd, "Everythin's ready," Tae drawled out in her distinct accent, "So if ya'all are ready, we can get started." Tae smiled, and Tsubame looked beyond excited, but half of that blush might have come from standing near Yahiko, who looked slightly ruffled, as if he had put himself back together quickly. Kaoru was going to have to have a talk with him later it seemed.

But in the mean time, there were more important matters afoot. Everything for the most part had to be done smoothly, and for this Kaoru took charge. Her two friends shouldn't, and wouldn't, have to worry about the mundane details, she had already made sure most of that was taken care of. Now it was only the little things, and Tae and Kaoru handled those expertly.

Megumi was slightly nervous. Normally when chaos ensued, she was firmly in its center. And true, she was the center here, along with Sanosuke, but the chaos seemed of a very different nature. The ceremony itself was simple, and traditional, none of that moronic stuff her beloved idiot had picked up over seas.

And somehow, as if by a miracle everything seemed to go off perfectly. There was nothing spilled on the expensive wedding garments. No disaster caused by a freewheeling Kenji, and best of all, the wouldn't have to worry about Kaoru's cooking.

It all seemed to much. A few years ago Megumi had nothing, even less than that, as she sank through the cracks of life and somehow ended up her. Sano's brown eyes smiled at her, as if he could read her thoughts exactly, and to a great extent he could. She smiled back, slightly of course. They held hands, and the celebration after the fact began.

Kaoru looked form Kenshin to Kenji, the three year old having fallen asleep on the table about an hour ago. Somehow, for things having starting out so out of whack between them, everything had ended perfectly. Like a story book almost. Kaoru smiled, and suppressed a yawn, leaning her head on Kenshin's shoulder she smiled. _Perfect._

Kenshin's free hand strayed to Kaoru's hair, stroking it absently, while he engaged in laughing conversation with Sano, Megumi and the other varied guests. Except for Saitou, how he had gotten invited, Kenshin would never figure out. But earlier he had promised Kaoru that he wouldn't bicker on their friends' day. Besides, when she was with him, he always felt somehow_ complete._

Megumi was laughing quietly and still flirting a little with Kenshin. A married woman couldn't afford to let herself go completely, after all, without a little jealously to add spice to their relationship, where would she be with Sano? They owed their entire relationship to Sano's own jealously inducing stupidity, there was nothing wrong with keeping that spark alive, at least not in Megumi's eyes. Her wayward Sano had returned, and now nothing would keep them apart again. The were _together._

Sano was having a great time, except for one thing, a vow to himself form a few years ago was coming back to haunt him. He hadn't touched a cup of sake. Everyone else was laughing and having fun, and though he enjoyed the company of his wife, Megumi and their friends, he was itching to break the vow. But he remembered all the trouble sake had gotten him into the last time, he just couldn't do it.

Kenshin noticed his friends pain apparently, because he poured and passed Sano a glass of the rice wine, and smiled. "Go ahead," he said then winked evilly and said, "I think I can trust you not to sleep with my wife after a couple cups, after all, you're married now too, and you'll soon know my pain."

"KENSHIN!" Kaoru shouted, waking up their three year old son. Megumi just started to laugh. Sano looked at the glass and downed it and smiled. _You know,_ he thought simply, _in the end, this is best done with friends anyway. Then I know I won't plan anything stupid..._


End file.
